At the end of August, state Auditor Diana DiZoglio hosted Ombudsman of the Dominican Republic Pablo Ulloa for a visit at the Massachusetts State House, where she emphasized the importance of open government.
“I appreciate that Mr. Ulloa is working hard to increase government accountability and transparency in the Dominican Republic,” said DiZoglio. “Exchanging ideas, best practices and challenges is exciting, and so I love that the ombudsman made us a stop on his visit to Massachusetts.”
The role of Ombudsman in the Dominican Republic is to safeguard human rights and protecting the collective interest. Much of that responsibility means being an advocate on behalf of its citizens, opening up government and increasing accessibility. DiZoglio and Ulloa discussed the ways each provide oversight in their respective roles.
“I appreciate the opportunity to learn the good practices of the Office of the Massachusetts state Auditor Diana DiZoglio, through accountability and government compliance, to good administration and as a result contribute to strengthen democracy in the Dominican Republic.” said Ulloa.
The meeting was organized by former Lawrence Mayor Kendrys Vasquez. According to Vasquez, this served as an opportunity to allow both institutions to exchange ideas for best practices.
Ulloa is President of the Ibero-American Federation of Ombudsmen, an institution that brings together more than 100 ombudsmen, prosecutors, providers, presidents of national or state human rights commissions from 22 Ibero-American countries. Ulloa holds a doctorate in Government, Public Policy and Society. He has Master’s degrees in Economics, Public Policy and International Cooperation; trained in psychology and law; and has worked as a teacher and researcher.
Ulloa is recognized for having been the first executive director of the Constitutional Tribunal of the Dominican Republic, where he raised the standards of institutional quality of this constitutional power. He has been a consultant and mediator in more than eight programs and projects financed by Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank and European Union.