Assistant Director of the Migration Department, Victor Soto, was arrested last night on suspicion of involvement in the fraudulent passport case, after nine hours of questioning at the Attorney General’s department. He was questioned by assistant AGs Frank Soto and Bolivar Sanchez and joint DA Luis Gonzalez, according to a report in Diario Libre. Hours prior to his arrest, Migration Department director Carlos Amarante Baret had announced his suspension during a press conference. Soto is a member of PLD and was in charge of the Department of Certifications and Haitian Affairs. He has also served as council member and Deputy, the latter during the 1998-2002 term. Others suspended from the Migration Department are Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Romer Lopez, who was in charge of investigations, and retired captain Eugenio Dario Diaz Fajardo, in charge of the Consular Section. Amarante Baret warned that he will fire anyone found to be involved in the case as this “mafia” has done a lot of harm to the country.
Listin Diario learned that Soto claims he has nothing to hide and will always tell the truth. The official is said to have helped a friend with air tickets, which ended up being for a group of people who traveled to Europe with official passports obtained irregularly. Listin Diario also learned that the owners of the travel agency that sold the tickets have already been questioned at the Attorney General’s Department. Also, the files for 800 passports issued by the Ministry of Foreign Relations have been taken to the AG department for investigation.