Dominican Republic prosecutor speaks softer, but scandal festers

Santo Domingo.- National District prosecutor Yeni Berenice Reynoso on Thursday said bowing to pressures and resigning from the money laundering and embezzlement case against former Public Works minister Víctor Díaz Rúa "would be a cowardice."

She said however that she doesn’t have any conflict with anyone in the Judicial Branch, and instead heads the investigation as the National District’s lead Prosecutor.

"In personal terms I have no problem absolutely with anyone. I’m a prosecutor who tries to do her work within the parameters of opportunity the rules require…," Reynoso said in reference to her confrontation with Instruction Court interim judge Margarita Cristo.

She said she doesn’t want distractions in a process that she affirms requires much attention.

When asked why she hadn’t resigned in the wake of her statement that the judicial system "was rotten," the official said “to leave would be most cowardly.”

She declined however, to name the persons or agency she affirms sought to pressure her.

"We have no conflict with any member of the judiciary, what we have is an investigation," Reynoso said, speaking in a dialogue hosed by the civic group Citizen Participation on legal certainty.