Santiago Matías rejects claims of deciding Dominican election, discusses penal code changes with President

Communicator Salvador Holguín dismissed the suggestion that media entrepreneur Santiago Matías could decide who will be the Dominican Republic’s president in 2028, calling the notion “political chatter” and stressing that popularity on social media does not translate into votes.

Matías, known as Alofoke, disclosed that a commission of alternative‑media representatives met with President Luis Abinader and the Justice Minister at the National Palace about three weeks ago to raise concerns over several articles of the new Penal Code. The group, which included journalists and legal advisers, presented draft amendments aimed at protecting freedom of expression. Matías said the dialogue “was achieved by conversation, consensus and seeking points of understanding,” and that the revised proposal will be submitted to Congress for discussion before the code takes effect.