CALL ON NEW DOMINICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL RADHAMES

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002785

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAR SEARBY, L/LEI FOR TORRES
JUSTICE PLEASE PASS DEA, USMS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL SNAR KCRM KJUS DR JIMENEZ
RADHAMES)
SUBJECT: CALL ON NEW DOMINICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL RADHAMES
JIMENEZ PENA WITH BIO



1. (SBU) On August 22, Ambassador Hertell, accompanied by
DCM, poloff, NAS, RSO, and representatives from DHS, FBI,
USAID, and the U.S. Marshals Service, met recently sworn-in
Attorney General Radhames Jimenez Pena in a one-hour courtesy
call also attended by members of the media. Jimenez, who
lacks significant prosecutorial experience, was accompanied
by senior deputy attorney generals charged with facilitating
U.S.-Dominican legal cooperation. Discussion was cordial but
largely limited to set-piece presentations: the Ambassador
expressed hope for continued bilateral cooperation, stressed
the importance of fighting corruption, noted U.S. interest in
denying "safe haven" to former Nicaraguan president Arnoldo
Aleman, and offered general support for any measure that
would strengthen or reinforce programming in these areas.
Jimenez, in turn, emphasized continued bilateral cooperation
and described his principal focus as accelerating efforts to
combat corruption, narco-trafficking, and trafficking in
persons. Jimenez spoke not of his legal experience in
describing his bona fides, but rather noted his close
personal relationship to President Fernandez, stating
plainly, "We are brothers" (somos hermanos). In a separate
follow-on press conference which has resulted in much local
media play, Jimenez pledged to fight corruption "in all its
forms public and private" and Hertell described drug
overflights in the Dominican East as originating in
Venezuela.


2. (SBU) Comment. The inclusion of the press during the
entirety of a bilateral meeting in the Dominican Republic is
sufficiently rare to require comment. Despite a history of
exceedingly good cooperation by the Attorney General's Office
of former AG Francisco Brito, Jimenez apparently took pains
to insulate himself from critical comments during this first
official meeting by including members of the media. As
Jimenez should have known that there were no explosive issues
hanging over from the departure of his predecessor, one
interpretation could be that his behavior showed a degree of
unease, perhaps understandable, in assuming the reigns of
this office without significant prosecutorial experience. If
this was, indeed, the only issue, the Embassy can expect
increasingly warm personal relations and continued bilateral
cooperation as Jimenez moves through the settling-in period.

--------------
Biography of Attorney General Radhames Pena
--------------


3. (SBU) "We are neither friends nor office companions "we
are brothers." With these words about President Leonel
Fernandez, repeated on multiple occasions, Radhames Jimenez
stressed the close personal relationship that strengthens his
standing as Attorney General of the Dominican Republic.
Fernandez opted for loyalty, trust and professionalism above
other attributes in the selection of his Attorney General.
Jimenez lacks the strong prosecutorial background and public
respect which his predecessor Francisco Dominguez Brito
enjoyed. Despite this, his strong legal background,
reputation for honesty, sound managerial skills and promises
to continue the policies of his predecessor suggest that he
will be effective.


4. (U) Jimenez joined the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) in
1979 and was elected to the party's Central Committee in

1998. During his tenure with the party, he has held the
offices of Sub-Secretary for Electoral Affairs, Secretary of
Judicial Affairs, and Alternate Political Delegate to the
Junta Central. Under his direction, the firm Fernandez and
Associates defended four PLD officials from Fernandez's first
term in office, whom the Mejia administration had formally
charged with misuse of funds in a program for employment
generation (PEME). He didn't have a lot to do. The Mejia
administration contracted private lawyers to carry on the
complaint, and nothing further was done; under the current
Fernandez administration those lawyers were dismissed and no
one replaced them.


5. (SBU) Jimenez has signaled his intention to continue the
policies and reforms of his predecessor. He has highlighted
as his personal priorities the need to confront narcotics
trafficking, trafficking in persons, prison reform and
corruption. Attorneys and support staff working in the

Public Ministry say their initial impressions are favorable
-- Jimenez took great pains to meet all of his staff and
listen to their concerns immediately upon taking office. When
the Ambassador called on him a week after Jimenez was sworn
in, the new AG acknowledged his country's excellent working
relationship with the U.S. Government and his intention to
continue it.


6. (U) Jimenez may also bring some new priorities to his
position. He authored the book "Environmental Law and
Ecological Crime." He has publicly spoken of his intent to
enhance the special office of the Prosecutor for Environment,
situated within the Justice Ministry.


7. (U) Radhames Jimenez was born on February 10, 1961 in La
Sabana de los Jimenez, in the province of La Vega, in the
center of the country. He received a doctorate in law in
1985 from the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo and began
his professional career in the law office of Dr. Abel
Rodriguez del Orbe. He indicates that Leonel Fernandez
recruited him and worked side-by-side with him. In 1995, the
two left that office to found their own law firm, which
Jimenez managed after Fernandez won the Presidency in 1996.
Jimenez remained as senior managing partner until this year.
Jimenez is divorced and the father of at 12 year old boy,
Nicolas. He has limited knowledge of French (largely legal
terms) and is not conversant in English.
BULLEN