Spanish
Santo Domingo. – Communicators Javier Ubiera and Delvys Lanfranco filed a formal complaint this Thursday afternoon before the Attorney General's Office, alleging a serious violation of the national symbols following the broadcast of a modified version of the National Anthem.
The act that motivated the complaint occurred on August 1st, during a public-private event in which a "Dominican Secular Anthem", also referred to as the "Gay Anthem," was performed, which altered the lyrics of the original National Anthem. The piece was shared on social media, generating reactions in different sectors of society.You may be interested in: Citizens condemn the “Lesbian National Anthem” and call for sanctions
“This is not about discrimination, but about respect for the Constitution and the Law on National Symbols. No one can modify with impunity the anthem that represents our history and sovereignty,” expressed Javier Ubiera. For his part, Delvys Lanfranco emphasized that “every citizen has the right to create, but not to alter the official symbols of the Republic.”
The lawyer José Fernando Pérez Vólquez, who represents the plaintiffs, described the act as a legal and moral offense to the soul of the Dominican nation: "The National Anthem is eternal, immutable and unique. What has happened is a blasphemy and a symbolic crime that must be sanctioned urgently," he affirmed. Vólquez recalled that the Law on National Symbols establishes clear penalties for this type of infraction. "This type of outrage is typified with sanctions ranging from one to three months in prison, in addition to a financial fine. The law must be firmly applied to preserve the dignity of our national emblems," he pointed out. The complainants formally requested that a criminal investigation be initiated against those responsible for the act, under the provisions of Article 33 of the Constitution and Articles 30, 33 et seq. of Law No. 210-19 on National Symbols.
