Dominican historian Bernardo Vega, in an interview published in today?s HOY DIGITAL, mentions, after reviewing the recently declassified CIA documents known as Family Jewels, that during the 1960s, the CIA outfit in the DR was second only to Vietnam in number of agents.. Bernardo Vega emphasizes that the documents relating to the DR are heavily edited, with entire pages being blacked out. However, there?s a section of particular interest, with telling details never revealed before, concerning the 1962 massacre at Palma Sola, where several of my relatives were killed, and which many of them still living clearly remember. Among the revealing details is that the DR government requested napalm from the US to use against the community of Palma Sola, and the fact that the US military attach? visited the place after the massacre.
- Thread starter Mirador
- Start date
Cia/dr
Mirador,
I am vaguely familiar with this massacre and wish to learn more. Is this the massacre where Liborio Mateo was killed?
I am vaguely familiar with this massacre and wish to learn more. Is this the massacre where Liborio Mateo was killed?
Mirador, I justhad my memory refreshed by my mother who tells me that Liborio died much earlier, but that this massacre was related to his movement. Any insights you can share are greatly appreciated. I am truly sorry that members of you family died there.
Peace
Peace
Interesting post Mirador - I hope it is allowed to continue as it is interesting (& INFORMATIVE) from a historical viewpoint.
My attention was piqued by the last sentence where you mentioned that Napalm had been requested by the Dominican Government! You did not mention whether the documents say this was granted &/or used in the DR, particularly Palma Sola - can you expand a littler please? ~ Grahame.
My attention was piqued by the last sentence where you mentioned that Napalm had been requested by the Dominican Government! You did not mention whether the documents say this was granted &/or used in the DR, particularly Palma Sola - can you expand a littler please? ~ Grahame.
According to Bernardo Vega, the US denied the DR government?s request for napalm to use against Palma Sola.
Here?s a very succint summary leading to the event. I know many will take issue with my account, since it differs from the written orthodox historical record.
Oliviorio Mateo was an illiterate folk healer, extremely charismatic and highly esteemed. His only presence in a community would bring about outpourings of religious fervor and provoke miraculous cures. Olivorio Mateo was not a particularly religious person. He healed by touching patients with a stick made from the pinon tree (pinus edulis). Just like Trujillo and Balaguer, in their haydays, he was consulted by the poor and powerful alike.
During the US occupation (1916-1924), Olivorio Mateo was confused by US marines with a bandit (terrorist, in today?s parlance). The circumstances of his death are debatable. However, my conviction is that Olivorio Mateo?s death was feigned, and he was actually whisked out of the country, and died in Italy many years later, under the ?protection? of the Vatican. However, hundreds of pictures of a dead Olivorio wrapped in banana leaves and tied between two poles leaning against a hut, were widely distributed in the DR South West. The picture of the ?dead? Olivorio became iconic, and was placed next to the crucified Christ and other Catholic saints in most popular folk religious altars of the region. Songs were sung, and prayers were prayed in his honor, just like it?s done with other Catholic images.
After the assassination of Rafael L. Trujillo Molina, aka El Jefe, the brothers Ventura started a revivalist movement in San Juan de la Maguana, with Olivorio Mateo in center stage, as El 'Maestro'. The brothers Ventura created a ceremonial and pilgramage center at a place called Palma Sola. They spread the word around, and soon they gained many adepts.
It is my conviction that the Ventura Brothers exploited the popular reverence surrounding the figure of Olivorio Mateo for sinister purposes.
I have myriad witnesses, living and deceased, who told me the following.
They met Olivorio Mateo in the Vatican, converted to Catholicism, and an esteemed member of a Catholic religious order.
Rafael L.Trujillo Molina (El Jefe) and Fidel Castro were friends, and Fidel Castro was a frequent visitor to the region, including Palma Sola, usually dressed as a Catholic priest. Many rural inhabitants frequently encountered heavily armed Cubans in the wilderness of the region.
Ramfis plotted against Trujillo and participated in the conspiracy that led to his assassination.
Ramfis, Balaguer, and Juan Bosch colluded to bring about the end of the Trujillo regime.
The US participated directly in the assassination of Trujillo, once they realized Trujillo?s alliance with Fidel Castro and his overtures toward the Soviets.
The day before the massacre, helicopters with loudspeakers went up and down the region calling all adepts to meet at Palma Sola, an obvious attempt to eradicate witnesses. So napalming the place was not such an outlandish idea after all?
Here?s a very succint summary leading to the event. I know many will take issue with my account, since it differs from the written orthodox historical record.
Oliviorio Mateo was an illiterate folk healer, extremely charismatic and highly esteemed. His only presence in a community would bring about outpourings of religious fervor and provoke miraculous cures. Olivorio Mateo was not a particularly religious person. He healed by touching patients with a stick made from the pinon tree (pinus edulis). Just like Trujillo and Balaguer, in their haydays, he was consulted by the poor and powerful alike.
During the US occupation (1916-1924), Olivorio Mateo was confused by US marines with a bandit (terrorist, in today?s parlance). The circumstances of his death are debatable. However, my conviction is that Olivorio Mateo?s death was feigned, and he was actually whisked out of the country, and died in Italy many years later, under the ?protection? of the Vatican. However, hundreds of pictures of a dead Olivorio wrapped in banana leaves and tied between two poles leaning against a hut, were widely distributed in the DR South West. The picture of the ?dead? Olivorio became iconic, and was placed next to the crucified Christ and other Catholic saints in most popular folk religious altars of the region. Songs were sung, and prayers were prayed in his honor, just like it?s done with other Catholic images.
After the assassination of Rafael L. Trujillo Molina, aka El Jefe, the brothers Ventura started a revivalist movement in San Juan de la Maguana, with Olivorio Mateo in center stage, as El 'Maestro'. The brothers Ventura created a ceremonial and pilgramage center at a place called Palma Sola. They spread the word around, and soon they gained many adepts.
It is my conviction that the Ventura Brothers exploited the popular reverence surrounding the figure of Olivorio Mateo for sinister purposes.
I have myriad witnesses, living and deceased, who told me the following.
They met Olivorio Mateo in the Vatican, converted to Catholicism, and an esteemed member of a Catholic religious order.
Rafael L.Trujillo Molina (El Jefe) and Fidel Castro were friends, and Fidel Castro was a frequent visitor to the region, including Palma Sola, usually dressed as a Catholic priest. Many rural inhabitants frequently encountered heavily armed Cubans in the wilderness of the region.
Ramfis plotted against Trujillo and participated in the conspiracy that led to his assassination.
Ramfis, Balaguer, and Juan Bosch colluded to bring about the end of the Trujillo regime.
The US participated directly in the assassination of Trujillo, once they realized Trujillo?s alliance with Fidel Castro and his overtures toward the Soviets.
The day before the massacre, helicopters with loudspeakers went up and down the region calling all adepts to meet at Palma Sola, an obvious attempt to eradicate witnesses. So napalming the place was not such an outlandish idea after all?
Mirador.
Outrageous.
I've personally interviewed several people that were directly involved in the conspiracy to kill Trujillo and nothing you say about the death of Trujillo holds water. I've interviewed General Imbert personally. I've interviewed Chana Diaz. I've interviewed members of the Reid Cabral Family.I've interviewed virtually everyone left alive involved in the conspiracy.These people risked everything to bring Trujillo down. Many people lost their lives. Many people had their lives completely destroyed.
You make me sick to my stomach.
Enough.
Outrageous.
I've personally interviewed several people that were directly involved in the conspiracy to kill Trujillo and nothing you say about the death of Trujillo holds water. I've interviewed General Imbert personally. I've interviewed Chana Diaz. I've interviewed members of the Reid Cabral Family.I've interviewed virtually everyone left alive involved in the conspiracy.These people risked everything to bring Trujillo down. Many people lost their lives. Many people had their lives completely destroyed.
You make me sick to my stomach.
Enough.
He also got the Liborio part wrong as well. The guy did not died abroad, he was killed by the US marines in the DR at the time. In fact, the marines even dugged his lifeless corpse from his grave and dragged around San Juan de la Maguana to debunk the local belief that Liborio was resusitated and making miracles after his death.
-NALs
