The Public Ministry trusts that this Wednesday the Fourth Investigation Court of the National District will determine whether Peralta, Castillo and Guerrero must stand trial for alleged administrative corruption. The former officials, captured in Operación Calamar, led a network that allegedly defrauded the State of more than 19 billion pesos through irregular payments in expropriations and bribes for the 2020 electoral campaign.
Hearing details
Judge Altagracia Ramírez will preside over the session at 9:00 in the morning. If the presentations conclude without setbacks, an immediate resolution is expected on whether Peralta, Castillo and Guerrero and other defendants advance to oral trial. This case highlights vulnerabilities in land expropriation processes declared of public utility, a mechanism used to divert public funds.
Background of Peralta, Castillo and Guerrero
Gonzalo Castillo, former Minister of Public Works and PLD presidential candidate in 2020, Donald Guerrero, former Minister of Finance, and José Ramón Peralta, former Administrative Minister of the Presidency, were figures close to former President Danilo Medina. Alongside them are Daniel Omar Caamaño, former Comptroller General; Luis Miguel Piccirillo, former director of the CEA; Claudio Silver Peña, former director of Cadastre; and Óscar Chalas Guerrero and Julián Omar Fernández, former directors of Casinos and Gambling.
Context of Operación Calamar
This operation, launched by the Public Ministry, exposed a structure that inflated expropriation values to finance campaigns. Transparency experts point out that similar cases have cost the Dominican treasury billions in the last decade, according to reports from the General Comptroller’s Office. Administrative corruption in expropriations represents 15% of irregularities detected in recent audits.
- Amount defrauded: More than RD$19,000 million.
- Methods: Irregular payments and bribes.
- Financing: 2020 electoral campaign.
The development of this hearing could set a precedent in the fight against impunity. Peralta, Castillo and Guerrero have denied the accusations, but the court will evaluate evidence collected during months of investigation.
This case underlines the need for reforms in expropriation controls. Judicial sources indicate that, if sent to trial, the process could drag on for years, impacting the public debate on accountability in Dominican politics. Peralta, Castillo and Guerrero remain under coercive measures while awaiting the Wednesday decision.