Monsignor Carlos Morel Diplán questions the strategies against criminality in the Dominican Republic
The coadjutor archbishop of Santo Domingo, Monsignor Carlos Morel Diplán, expressed his deep concern regarding the growing wave of violence affecting various parts of the country. The clergyman placed special emphasis on the recent events recorded in Los Praditos, Boca Chica, as well as the tragic murder of the wife of the artist Julián Oro Duro, events that have shaken national public opinion.
The critique of the exchange of fire
During his speech, the prelate harshly questioned the effectiveness of so-called shootouts as a method of police response to crime. According to Morel Diplán, this type of action does not attack the root of the problem, but rather represents a superficial solution that does not guarantee long-term public safety.
Eliminating people does not solve the problem.
Monsignor Carlos Morel DiplánBeyond repression and imprisonment
The coadjutor archbishop emphasized that addressing insecurity solely through repression is equivalent to treating only the symptoms and not the disease. In this sense, he raised the following key points regarding his position:
- Mass incarceration is not a sufficient measure to reduce crime rates in the country.
- It is imperative to identify and address the social and structural causes that give rise to criminality.
- Authorities must transcend simple persecution and seek comprehensive public policies.
As an example of the saturation of the penitentiary system, Morel Diplán cited the case of La Victoria National Penitentiary, which houses some 3,000 inmates, a figure that, in his view, demonstrates that the current approach to incarceration requires an urgent review.
These statements come in a context where citizen security is the central axis of the national debate, forcing various sectors of society to demand more effective and humane responses to the violence that impacts the population.
