The decision of the Chamber of Deputies approving a bill to name the Circunvalación Norte avenue in Santiago after former president Salvador Jorge Blanco has generated historical, legal and political debates about an important communication route in the province, which had already been officially named more than a decade ago with the name of Luis Crouch Bogaert.
deputy
The deputy of Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) for Santiago, Mateo Espaillatconsidered that the project that seeks to designate the Northern Beltway with the name of the former president Salvador Jorge Blanco could face obstacles in the Senate because the road already has an official name established by law.
Espaillat explained that, if it is confirmed that the highway was named through previous legislation enacted during the government of the former president Danilo Medinathere would be sufficient legal objection for the initiative not to prosper in the Upper House.
“If that route already has a name established by law, then the project could automatically fall in the Senate,” said the legislator, pointing out that the legislative piece must be reviewed taking into account the existing legal precedents.
The legislator indicated that he did not know the details about the previous legislation, but valued the information provided by historians and representatives of the press regarding the designation of the road as Luis Crouch Bogaert. In that sense, he maintained that it is appropriate to verify the official documentation before continuing with the legislative process.
Espaillat pointed out that the project approved in the Chamber of Deputies will now go to Senatewhere lawmakers will have the opportunity to evaluate whether the proposal conflicts with a previously enacted law.
His statements come in the midst of the debate generated by the approval of the initiative that seeks to honor the memory of Jorge Blanco, while various sectors remember that the Northern Ring Road of Santiago had already been officially designated with the name of Luis Crouch Bogaert through Law 12-15.
about the initiative
The cultural critic Luis Cordova warned that the legislators who supported the initiative apparently were unaware that the aforementioned highway was designated by Law 12-15, promulgated on February 6, 2015 by the then president Medinawith the name of Luis Crouch Bogaert, a prominent businessman and figure linked to the economic development of Santiago.
For Córdova, the debate transcends the simple assignment of a name to a public work and forces us to reflect on the responsibility of the National Congress to preserve historical memory and respect previously established legal provisions.
In his opinion, legislate should not respond only to partisan interests, but also to a comprehensive understanding of the national history.
The controversy arises after the Chamber of Deputies approved in two consecutive readings the project submitted by the legislator of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), Jorge Hugo Cavoli Balbuena, through which it is sought that the Northern Beltway of Santiago bear the name of former president Jorge Blanco, born in this city on July 5, 1926.
The initiative includes the road section located between the Duarte highway, at the Canabacoa intersection, and the municipality of Villa Gonzalez. Its promoters maintain that the measure constitutes recognition of the political, academic and institutional contributions made by the former president during decades of public service.
However, the proposal has caused conflicting positions due to the complex historical figure of Jorge Blancowho governed the Dominican Republic between 1982 and 1986. Lawyer, writer, university professor and political leader, he was considered one of the protagonists of the democratic transition after the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo.
During his political career he promoted a speech based on transparency and the fight against corruption, summarized in the slogan of “clean hands”, a phrase that marked his political rise and that sought to differentiate him from the twelve years of government of Joaquin Balaguer as well as questions arising within his own party.
However, his administration was marked by a deep economic crisis, monetary devaluations, social conflicts and the popular protests of April 1984. At the end of his term, he was brought to justice for alleged acts of corruption related to purchases linked to the Armed Forces.
The judicial process, known in public opinion as “The trial of the century”, He initially concluded with a sentence of 20 years in prison, ratified years later. However, in 2001 the sentence was definitively annulled by the courts, after the judicial action was withdrawn during the government of Hipólito Mejía.
That Historical duality continues to divide opinions. While his followers consider that he was the victim of political persecution and defend his historical rehabilitation, critical sectors maintain that designating an important infrastructure with his name could send contradictory signals at a time when the country promotes a policy of zero tolerance against administrative corruption.
Jorge Blanco He left important institutional and legislative contributions. These include initiatives related to the Commercial Code, reforms to the penitentiary system and various legal, historical and political publications that are part of its intellectual legacy.
His government was implemented on Tax on the Transfer of Industrialized Goods and Services (ITBIS), The growth of free zones and tourism was promoted, massive vaccination programs were developed and investments were made in energy and sports infrastructure.
The legislative project also highlights the academic recognitions he received, including honorary doctorates awarded by the Pontifical Catholic University Mother and Teacher, the University of South Carolina and the University of Puerto Rico.
Legislator Soraya Suárez explained that she spoke with the deputies who promoted the initiative, who assured him that they found no records of a previous designation.
However, he noted that he later received documents suggesting that the highway had already been named Luis Crouch Bogaert, Therefore, it is considered necessary to verify the information in the Official Gazette and other official files.
Suárez stated that, if the existence of a current law that gave that name to the road is confirmed, the project should not go ahead. “If President Danilo Medina actually promulgated that law, then the project falls apart and is not sent to the Senate,” he said, considering that an initiative that contradicts an already established legal provision should not continue.
Luis Crouch Bogaert
Investigate
The PRM representative for Santiago, Soraya Suárez, expressed that the bill that seeks to designate the Northern Beltway of Santiago with the name of former President Jorge Blanco must be investigated before continuing its legislative course, due to versions that this road would have already been previously named by a law enacted during the government of Danilo Medina.
