160,000+ Dominicans, 1, 600 foreigners cannot leave the country

Santo Domingo.- More than 160,000 Dominicans and around 1, 600 foreigners living in the country are barred from leaving the national territory, according to sources at Las Americas International Airport quoted by elnacional.com.do.

The impediments encompass the last 19 years, most of them in place since 2000 for felonies and minor crimes including homicides, fraud, forgery, kidnappings, traffic accidents, theft of property and child support. The impediments are placed by the Justice Ministry, prosecutors and judges who are in charge of the cases across the country.

The sources said despite that many of the impediments have already expired especially when there are settlements in the cases, “the bans are still maintained in effect."

They said that even people who were told that their impediment had been lifted, find that they cannot leave the country because the measure is still maintained in the Immigration Agency’s files.

Among those affected by the travel ban figure active and retired military and national police officers, government officials, former lawmakers and mayors and former diplomats.