The National Attorney General, Dr. Abel Rodriguez del Orbe, has pledged to investigate the disappearance of Narciso (Narcisazo) Gonzalez, who has not been seen or heard from since 26 May, 1994. The Dominican Republic is under pressure from the Interamerican Human Rights Commission, of the Organization of American States (OAS), to clear up the case. Mr. Gonzalez, a university professor, disappeared after publishing a scathing magazine article against then President Joaquin Balaguer during the aftermath of the 1994 presidential election.
After the Truth Commission of the Dominican Committee on Human Rights presented the case to the Interamerican Human Rights Commission early this month, the OAS gave the D.R. thirty days to conduct an investigation that came up with concrete evidence. After meeting with President Leonel Fernandez on 16 October, Dr. Rodriguez del Orbe told the news media that the D.R. would not be sanctioned by the OAS because “we will get to the bottom of this.”
The Truth Commission, together with Mr. Gonzalez’s wife, recently traveled to the OAS’s offices in Washington to present their case.