The Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) denounced today that The Government increased the cost of completing the La Nueva Victoria prison (Las Parras) from RD$280 million to RD$3,000 million. works that were carried out by the Ministry of Housing and Buildings.
According to the opposition organization, the RD$280 million were only for its adaptation, since the Purple Party Government built, equipped and inaugurated that prison.
The aforementioned correctional center, with capacity for 8,500 prisoners, is located in the Las Parras community, Santo Domingo province, and was put into operation by the authorities last Saturday, where 300 inmates were already transferred.
“Even the current director of Prisons, Roberto Santana, publicly declared that the adjustments he wanted to make cost RD$280 million and that the President was wrong when he indicated that 1.6 billion were needed,” said the PLD.
In its usual Monday press conference, the PLD says that the Government of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), through the Attorney General’s Office, received the work in a compliant manner in June 2021, and that it was even certified by the Attorney General’s Office of the Republic.
“With that formal act, it was recognized in writing that La Nueva Victoria was finished, equipped and fully operational. The Attorney General’s Office certified its completion in writing,” Johnny Pujols, general secretary of the PLD, told the media.
“Second, he renewed the contracts that he had previously questioned. When renewing them, he admitted that there was no overvaluation, thus validating that they were the most economical offers, making style adjustments for an additional RD$220 million,” he said.
Pujols recalled that this new center, where inmates from La Victoria will be held, was opened and equipped by then-president Danilo Medina in 2020.
The only thing really new is the change of paint, meshes, cisterns and booths, and the change of name to “Las Parras”. “We invite the media to review their files from August 2020,” the yellow star party added when speaking with the media.
Roberto Santana
In an interview with Diario Libre, Roberto Santana, general director of Penitentiary and Correctional Services, recalled that when he was entrusted with the planning of the La Victoria substitute, the project had an approximate budget of US$81 million, but Danilo Medina was told that it was US$181 million, US$100 million more.
The official maintained that among the inmates of Las Parras, there are people with technical training such as cooks, electricians and plumbers, who were transferred there from La Victoria, in Santo Domingo Este.
Former attorney
Former Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez is subject to justice, awaiting sentencing, for accusing him of committing corruption in the construction of Las Parras. He was arrested in 2021, accused, along with others, of a corruption scheme against the State.
