Corruption at the Museo de la Resistencia

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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A few years ago Angelita Trujillo, daughter of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, published her famous book "Trujillo, mi padre en mis memorias" that created quite a storm. The book was put in circulation with an inaugural event in Miami and another one in Santo Domingo, this last one stormed by a group of anti-Trujillistas. Ironically, very much in Trujillo's style, they managed the get the book legally banned in the DR. Anyone that buys a copy of the book abroad and brings it to the country is suppose to face confiscation of the book upon arrival.

One of the consequences of that ordeal was the creation of the Museo de la Resistencia (Museum of Resistance) in the Colonial Zone. The purpose of the museum was to collect many artifacts from anti-Trujillista families and descendants of the victims of Trujillo.

Speed up to 2018 and a now a corruption scandal has come to light.

Apparently, a not-for-profit organization was created in order for the government to create a law giving the green light to creating the museum. This organization, which was largely composed by the founders of the museum, was dissolved via a fraudulent voting session in which many of the founders of museum were not able to attend before the voting was over. A new for profit (not not-for-profit, but FOR PROFIT) organization was created that excluded many of the founders of the museum, and now this new organization owns everything that is in the museum and controls the money it produces (approximately RD$40 million a year.)

In essence, the museum which was public property has now become a private for profit entity with the profits going to the pockets of a handful of people that have taken the museum ransom, according to some of the founders that were left out.

They are now going to various television programs to denounce this corruption. A lawsuit is currently in place in the Dominican tribunals between the group that covertly took over the museum and the founders that were kicked out.

[video=youtube;y4n3-LxnL4M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4n3-LxnL4M[/video]

Please notice that the museum's webpage is currently suspended: http://www.museodelaresistencia.com
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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the only shocking thing about it is that the museum produces 40 million pesos a year.

i wonder how was this money used before, under the non-profit label?
 

NALs

Economist by Profession
Jan 20, 2003
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In the video they say that the problems started when they sent a letter to the board of the museum to show them a financial statement detailing where all the money goes, and instead the board would direct them to the financial statement they had on their website. The problem with that statement is that it was of 2016 and very vague. They continue to insist on seeing a detailed financial statement and the museum's administration has resorted to ignore them.

They also mention that there's a monument to one of Trujillo's victims that the museum is suppose to maintain with RD$2 million, but the place is falling apart and looks abandoned. They want to know where the money is going, but the museum administrators don't want to say.

Apparently there's plenty of nepotism taking place in the administrative positions, which isn't looked down upon by Dominican society at large, but in the regulations that were agreed upon when the museum was created nepotism was strictly prohibited.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
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dr1.com
Business as usual...

These people have no morals or scruples.
Then again, their peers are no different, so what would you expect?
 

2dlight

Bronze
Jun 3, 2004
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According to a newspaper article, the museum gets 40 million pesos/year from the government; it also mentioned that it allocated ten million for a monument that was abandoned and falling apart with zero evidence that any money was spent on it. Some of the founding members feel betrayed because the museum was originally a non-profit organization and was made a for-profit entity without their participation in the voting process. Additionally, they clearly state that family members of some of the heroes, martyrs and heroines of the resistance, are complicit in the change and are members of the new administration. 
 
Last edited:
May 12, 2005
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