VZCZCXYZ0002
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #2785/01 2411037
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 291037Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5941
INFO RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCOWCV/CUSTOMS CARIBBEAN ATTACHE MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEAHLC/HQS DHS WASHDC PRIORITY

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