Ruling party officials clash over ‘warning’ on Odebrecht

Santo Domingo.- Senate president Reinaldo Pared on Thursday denied having any connection with Odebrecht executives when any initiative was to debated in Congress.

He also questioned colleague Felix Jiménez’s (Felucho) assertion that he had warned the ruling party’s (PLD) Political Committee of ballooned costs of infrastructure projects by Odebrecht, as wide sectors insist.

Speaking after being questioned nearly three hours at the Justice Ministry about Ocebrecht’s admitted US$92.0 million bribe of government officials, Pared said he expects that conclusion a would be reached, and “if there is anyone responsible they should be submitted to the action of justice.”

“In my presidency…, there was never any attempt or intent of bribe for the approval of some work,” the lawmaker said.

On Jiménez statements that the PLD’s top members were informed that the works had been ballooned, Pared affirmed that Government matters aren’t dealt with in political meetings.

“I do not know in which meeting, and I have not missed any of the Political Committee, that what Felucho says was addressed. I don’t know where Felucho gets that. Only once in the Political Committee was a case of the El Coral road, because he was interested in having another route drawn, being the Minister of Tourism. He had a personal interest.”