Dominican Ex‑Minister José Ramón Peralta Claims Fabricated Charges in Operation Calamar

Former administrative minister of the Presidency José Ramón Peralta denounced the accusations against him in the Operation Calamar case as fabricated. He presented evidence that witness Bolívar Antonio Ventura gave two conflicting statements – on 27 November 2021 the witness said the cheques were given to a third party, while on 19 December 2022 the same witness claimed the cheques were delivered to Peralta through that third party – suggesting a manipulation of testimony to link him to the case.

Peralta also accused the public prosecutor of conceal‑ing a certification from the Superintendence of Securities that had been in its possession since 2021, asserting that the document exonerated him. He argued that the omission of this evidence contributed to his eight‑month pre‑trial detention despite the lack of direct proof. After receiving a "no ha lugar" decision, the prosecutor appealed the ruling. Peralta read additional certifications from the Superintendence of Banks, the Comptroller General, Customs and other supervisory bodies, all of which he says do not link him to any wrongdoing, urging the public to safeguard due process and the rule of law.