SANTO DOMINGO.- While a part of society linked to the media lamented his arrest, Hugo Beras, Former director of the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transportation (Intant), in a joking and smiling tone, expressed that if he had known earlier he would have requested a stint in the Najayo prison, because there he was able to reduce “a few pounds”, which according to him, he had of more.
Beras, who was arrested along with Jochi Gómez Canaán and Pedro Padovani within the framework of the Operation Chameleonfaces accusations of corruption linked to an embezzlement of 1,317 million pesos, destined for the installation of the traffic light network in Greater Santo Domingo. Initially, the three were sent to preventive detention for a period of 18 months, but a month later they were granted conditional release.
Also read: Camaleón Case: Hugo Beras and Jochi Gómez are removed from prison as a measure of coercion
«I lost a lot, if I had known before I would have asked for a season to lose some pounds that I had never been able to lose, I ate very well, the food was good. For me it was a kind of life camp,” Beras jokingly expressed during his first participation, after his arrest, in the popular program “Vehicles on the Radio.”
Beras reflected on how difficulties can seem insurmountable, but stressed that “the world does not end” because of one setback. «They are stages, they are processes that life gives you. “Sometimes we believe that everything is over, but it is not,” he said, before adding that many people have suggested that he take his story to platforms like Netflix.
«I am going to talk about a very personal and particular experience, people have to know that the world is not ending, that is important, sometimes we believe that everything is over, and no, no, they are stages, they are processes that give you the life, but the world does not end,” he said.
Those involved in Operation Chameleon They are accused of belonging to an alleged corruption and organized crime network dedicated to embezzlement, fraud against the State, forgery, coalition of officials, smuggling, illicit trade, sabotage, terrorism against critical infrastructure and identity theft.
It is recalled that on November 9, the then executive director of Intrant, Hugo Beras, asked President Luis Abinader for unpaid leave, following new information about the process of implementing the traffic light system in Greater Santo Domingo.
To get out of prison, Hugo Beras paid a financial guarantee of five million pesos, in addition to complying with the impediment to leaving the country and appearing periodically on the 30th of each month.
For their part, Jochi Gómez and Pedro Padovani received measures consisting of a financial guarantee, periodic presentation on the 30th of each month and prevention of departure.
The decision was announced around 11 pm on Tuesday, with the judge pointing out that the defendants had sufficient roots to rule out the danger of flight.
