US Envoy lauds Dominican Republic’s embattled top prosecutor

Santo Domingo.- U.S. ambassador James W. Brewster on Thursday lauded Justice minister Francisco Domínguez’s work against organized crime and said offenders should be sent to jail.

The statement by Washington’s envoy comes during a critical moment for the Justice Minister, who’s effort to prosecute close collaborators of former president Leonel Fernandez has unleashed a tense confrontation within the country’s ruling party, PLD

He visited Dominguez in the Justice Ministry where they discussed organized crime, gender violence and the extradition treaty between Washington and Santo Domingo.

When asked about corruption, the diplomat declined comment noting that it’s a domestic matter of the Dominican government, noting however that there should be "zero tolerance."

Dominguez stressed the importance for both countries to wage the war on organized crime jointly, citing efforts such as the planned amendment to the extradition treaty.