This Wednesday, in the Fourth Instruction Court of the National District, at the Ciudad Nueva Palace of Justice, the Calamar case enters a critical phase. The Public Prosecutor’s Office is presenting its rebuttals against the main individuals implicated in an alleged embezzlement exceeding RD$19 billion. Former ministers Donald Guerrero (Treasury), Gonzalo Castillo (Public Works), and José Ramón Peralta (Administrative Minister of the Presidency) head the list of defendants.
Main individuals implicated in the Calamar case
- Rafael Calderón, former senator.
- Ángel Lockward, lawyer.
- Luis Miguel Piccirilo, former director of the State Sugar Council (CEA).
- Roberto Santiago Moquete Ortiz and Aldo Antonio Gerbasi Fernández, former Treasury official.
- Julián Omar Fernández Figueroa, former head of Gambling.
- Claudio Silver Peña, former director of National Cadastre.
Others named include Alejandro Constanzo Sosa, Marcial Reyes, siblings Ana Linda and Emir José Fernández de Paola, Óscar Chalas Guerrero, Agustín Mejía, and Víctor Matías Encarnación. The Public Prosecutor’s Office alleges they formed a structure to divert public funds through irregular payments for expropriations of land declared of public utility and bribes for the 2020 election campaign.
Context of the Calamar case and background
The Calamar case emerged from investigations into irregularities in contracts and expropriations during past administrations. Criminal law experts note that the maneuvers involved overvaluation of properties, generating millions in losses for the treasury. In previous hearings, witnesses such as Mirna Ortiz have detailed evidence of fraud, reinforcing the prosecution’s accusations. Statistics from the CEA and the Treasury reveal that between 2012 and 2020, payments totaling billions were executed for land, many questioned due to a lack of technical justification.
Impact and repercussions of the embezzlement
This scandal exposes vulnerabilities in public fund controls. Financial analysts estimate that the RD$19 billion diverted is equivalent to the annual budgets of several ministries. Dominican justice is moving forward with transparency, seeking to recover assets. In the Calamar case, the prosecution’s rebuttals aim to solidify evidence in the face of potential defenses from the accused.
The progression of the Calamar case keeps public opinion on edge, demanding swift responses to restore trust in institutions. This Wednesday marks a decisive step in the fight against corruption in the Dominican Republic.