The Azua incident... any additional info?

MrMike

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Mar 2, 2003
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www.azconatechnologies.com
I heard a rumor that the situation was a bit different than what was reported;

The Police in Azua were an integral part of the gang, and killed the other gang members to cover this up when the journalists began to break the story. The official story that the journalists were taking "refuge" at the police station and that one of them was hit squarely in the back of the head by a stray bullet seems pretty suspicious to me, (also the fact that two of the bystanders that were hit just happenned to be reporters) anyone have any additional info on this?

This is totally unsubstantiated rumor, just wondering if anyone has heard anything similar.
 

Mirador

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Apr 15, 2004
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In the DR it's a bumpy and dangerous road to get from unsubstantiated rumor to undisputed fact, unless you're a journalist ;-)

I live half the time in Azua, and everybody there believes that the authorities are more part of the problem than the solution.

Mirador


Editing: should read: 'police authorities'
 

Spirit7

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Aug 26, 2004
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Teniente Holguin

The story, as given by General Simon Diaz, public relations director of the National Police, is that a specific lieutenant (teniente) Holguin, was directing the gang in Azua and collecting about 5,000 pesos (125 USD) weekly from the criminals as a pay-off or toll.

Even after the original incident a few days ago, when 4 gang members were 'liquidated' by the police, Lieutenant Holguin was seen in an auto, on the street, even though he was supposed to have been under arrest accused of the murder of a young Verizon employee about 3 weeks back!

He felt so safe that he laughed at the dead man's father when he was seen by him. This I heard directly from the father in a radio interview. Again, the National Police is too far gone and needs to be disbanded and a better-trained, staffed and controlled federal police force needs to be established.
 

Jane J.

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Jan 3, 2002
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MrMike

I've been following this story closely and this twist is interesting indeed. And it sheds some light on Leonel's comment from the other day about the deaths of the gang members not being extra-judicial executions.

The official story that the journalists were taking "refuge" at the police station and that one of them was hit squarely in the back of the head by a stray bullet seems pretty suspicious to me

I did not hear this story. I thought that the only other journalist besides Andujar to be injured was Luis Sencion, who was shot in the arm. I believe one other had been targeted, but I wasn't aware of any other incidents.

In any case, the reports in all the newspapers have been very conflicting and rumor-mongering in Azua seems at an all time high. I think the best to date was that Blas Pujols (the bandolero still being sought) was planning to arrive at the hospital dressed as a woman to plant explosives. (So, now he's a terrorist?)

Also look at Navarrete. The bodies had been tortured? I couldn't help think, well, who's the best at that?

Who knows what the real deal is, but whatever it is it's dirty dirty dirty and scary for the people in Azua. The escalation of drug trafficking in the DR and police involvement with it over the past four years is a serious problem.