Dominican Government official calls New York lawmaker a “charlatan”

Santo Domingo.- “Opportunist and charlatan,” is what a senior Dominican government official called New York assemblyman Adriano Espaillat in the aftermath of the Constitutional Court’s controversial ruling on Dominican nationality

Cabinet minister Miguel Mejia on Wednesday said Espaillat asked former president Leonel Fernandez , while in office, to “name lovers, whores and girlfriends abroad.”

“He came to the country to denigrate, while he campaigns openly with Hipolito Mejia (former president), heads campaigns against the country in New York,” the official said.

The official said Espaillat marks a difference with U.S. representative Charles Rangel, who despite not being Dominican, “defends our interests in the U.S. Congress.”

“This charlatan, who is just a state assemblyman, comes here, heading a delegation from New York as a patriot.”

Mejia, interviewed on Hoy Mismo channel 9, also slammed St. Vincent & the Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves, adding that despite that he shares his leftist views, doesn’t have any base to criticize the country regarding the Constitutional Court ruling.