Dominican Republic returns to Odebrecht corruption storm

Santo Domingo.- Chief Anticorruption Prosecutor (Pepca) Laura Guerrero on Thurs. warned that the release of Víctor Díaz Rúa and Angel Rondón in today’s hearing at the Supreme Court would be “highly questionable” given the evidence in Odebrecht’s admitted bribes of US$95.0 million to Dominican Govt. officials..

She revealed that “stronger evidence” has been gathered against the defendants, to keep them behind bars at Najayo prison.

“We continue to raise awareness among both the justice system and the public, so that we can be attentive to this Odebrecht process, because there is strong evidence against these two people that have continued to be located within our investigation, which warrant that they continue in a state of pretrial detention.”

She said that during the course of the investigation, Marco Vasconcelos Cruz, Odebrecht Central America and the Caribbean director, affirmed that in the Coral Highway project, Diaz Rúa left him no other choice than to hire his “personal lawyer ,” Conrado Pittaluga, for the project to advance.

“Díaz Rúa’s goal however was to use Pittaluga as a front man to get million-dollar bribes,” she said.

Guerrero added that regarding Rondón, it was determined that Odebrecht contracted his companies as consultants, given his access to government circles.