By ESENDOM
December 1, 2025
Lea en español: Paliza defiende «nuevo rumbo» contra la impunidad, pero la sociedad exige limpieza real
Key points
Paliza says the Dominican Republic has “changed” and that impunity in the face of drug trafficking “is no longer an option.”
The ruling Partido Revolucionario Moderno (Modern Revolutionary Party) (PRM) announces internal audits, a purge of its membership rolls, and a reform of Law 155-17 to make political parties “obligated entities” under the anti–money laundering system.
Since 2020, record numbers of extraditions and drug seizures have been logged—figures the government touts as proof of institutional change.
Civil society groups counter that for years all parties, including the current ruling party, tolerated narco infiltration in Dominican politics.
Paliza urges politicians tied to organized crime, in any party, to turn themselves in: “Sooner or later, you’ll fall.”
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — Amid public outrage over scandals linking political figures to drug-trafficking networks, José Ignacio Paliza, president of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and Minister of the Presidency, declared that the country is living “a moment of institutional transformation” in which impunity is no longer an option.
In a statement carried by multiple outlets, Paliza acknowledged public fatigue over cases touching the ruling party, but insisted that the public airing of case files, arrests, and extraditions shows a stronger, more independent Prosecutor’s Office, backed—he said—by a president who does not interfere with the justice system.
The party leader noted that since 2020 there have been more than 350 extraditions of people linked to drug trafficking and drug seizures surpassing the combined totals of the previous 16 years—figures the government presents as evidence of a shift in how the state confronts organized crime. For many Dominicans—long used to seeing homegrown traffickers pursued in U.S. courts while silence reigned at home—those numbers inspire equal parts hope and skepticism.
Internal Cleanup and Legal Reform
Paliza conceded that people from various parties entered the PRM “seeking impunity,” but said “they chose the wrong place,” adding that recent cases have been met with suspensions and expulsions. The party will step up internal audits, review the records of leaders and rank-and-file, and propose amending Law 155-17 so political parties become “obligated entities” within the anti–money laundering regime—required to report suspicious activity and verify the origin of funds and candidacies, as banks and other regulated entities already must.
The pivot aims to answer a long-standing critique: for decades, parties of all stripes opened their doors to opaque funding and figures tied to laundering and drug trafficking in exchange for votes and ground muscle. International pressure, especially from the United States, and a sharper public eye have raised the political cost of looking the other way.
A National Issue—at Home and Abroad
Paliza warned that “more cases will surface,” calling drug trafficking a “cancer,” and argued that cases are now truly investigated. He directly urged politicians involved in illicit activities—from the PRM or any party—to surrender voluntarily, assuring that “no party or leader will protect you” and that “sooner or later, you will fall.”
For the Dominican community abroad—from The Washington Heights to Madrid—the message lands at a pivotal moment. Many have watched local “successful businessmen” end up in handcuffs at international airports or named in federal filings. The question, on and off the island, is whether this time the political class is ready to break decisively with the narco nexus.
The government and the PRM cast themselves as being “on the right side of history.” Ultimately, the public—on the island and abroad—will render the verdict on whether promises of zero impunity translate into real change or remain, once again, a well-rehearsed script for a season of crisis.
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