Organized crime threatens Dominican Republic’s political system

Santo Domingo.- Dominican Republic’s biggest civic organization on Thursday said current rules allow partiesand candidates to receive uncontrolled private funding, which in its view opensthe doors to money laundering and threatens the State’s structure.

Citizen Participation coordinator Josefina Arvelo said thelack of an effective regulations, combined with the complexity of the general electionson May 15, pose a great risk of funding from drug trafficking and organizedcrime whose interest she affirms is achieving the power of the State.

Speaking in the panel "Money laundering and politicalfinancing" at Intec University, Arvelo said the uncontrolled funding alsodistorts electoral competitions and the sense of representing the veryfoundations of the democratic system.

"To avert the capture of the State and funds fromillegal sources to finance political parties, citizens must assume greater commitmentand responsibility to control a political party system dependent on corruption andfraud," Arvelo said.

She said the high possibility that international organizedcrime penetrates the parties through funding a real poses threat to nationalsecurity, " a real attack against the sovereignty, independence, libertyand security of the nation’s territory."