SANTO DOMINGO – A prominent political leader in the Dominican Republic has issued a stern condemnation following explosive allegations of coerced political contributions from public institution employees. José Horacio Rodríguez, who heads the Democratic Option party, characterized as ‘deplorable’ a recent investigative report claiming that staff at the Technological Institute of the Americas (ITLA) were pressured to donate up to five percent of their salaries to support a political movement.
Rodríguez asserted that this incident is not isolated but rather symptomatic of a pervasive and deeply entrenched pattern of illicit political financing plaguing the nation. He emphasized that such practices represent a clear breach of Dominican law and called for an immediate and comprehensive official investigation into the matter. The party president contextualized the allegations within a troubling history of political scandals, noting that the misuse of funds for political gain has previously been linked to more severe criminal activities, including corruption and drug trafficking.
Highlighting the corrosive effect of money in politics, the former congressman advocated for sweeping systemic reforms. His proposal centers on substantially reducing the overall financial burden of political campaigns by implementing stricter expenditure caps. Furthermore, Rodríguez pushed for enhanced transparency mechanisms and robust oversight to prevent financial misconduct. He pointed to international benchmarks for inspiration, specifically citing Belgium’s framework for regulated political advertising and France’s stringent limits on broadcast campaign time as viable models for the Dominican Republic to emulate. The ultimate goal, he stressed, is to ensure that political financing operates with integrity and truly serves the public interest, rather than undermining democratic institutions.