The Dominican Metro Bus driver kidnapped on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital city was released on Saturday, 14 May 2022, Dominican ambassador Faruk Miguel Castillo told El Dia. He said the kidnappers released Martín Decena, the driver and the bus steward, the Haitian woman Yveca Juvensta Sylvestre. Initially, the driver had been identified as Martin Castro.
As reported, Decena was in a bad state of health. Decena is in his 70s. The bus driver was the only Dominican of 17 kidnapped last week when the bus was traveling to Haiti with eight Turkish citizens and eight Haitian nationals.
The kidnapping of the Metro Bus followed a week after the kidnapping of Dominican agricultural counsellor, Carlos Guillen Tatis when he was traveling to Jimaní by the same 400 Mawozo gang. Guillen Tatis was released after almost two weeks. Gillen Tapia was kidnapped on 28 April and released on 4 May.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Relations continues to discourage Dominicans from traveling to Haiti. Deputy Minister for Consular and Migratory Affairs, Jatzel Roman said the Dominican government will not pay ransom for its citizens kidnapped in Haiti.
The situation of the Turkish citizens and the Haitians who were traveling with Decena in the bus kidnapped on Sunday, 8 May 2022 is unknown.
The Metro Bus was transporting the 17 people to Haiti. It was reportedly hijacked by the 400 Mawozo armed group in Croix-des-Bouquets, when traveling beween Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince.
Meanwhile, another Dominican bus company, Caribe Tours announced the suspending of its trips to Haiti. Caribe Tours had been traveling four times a day to Haiti and one time a day to Cap Haitian, on the north coast of Haiti.
Metro Bus had a daily service to Port-au-Prince. The company has suspended bus services to and from Haiti. Hector Dotel, spokesman for Metro Bus, said the company is working with Haitian authorities to locate the whereabouts of the bus and the Turkish and Haitian passengers. “Let us hope they do their job,” Dotel told Diario Libre.
The bus has not been returned. Metro Bus spokesman said it had a value between US$200,000 to US$300,000.
The Spanish news agency, EFE says that the kidnappers are asking a ransom of US$450,000 for each of the five Turkish men and three Turkish women between 20 and 26 years old kidnapped on the bus.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
BBC
El Dia
El Dia
El Dia
16 May 2022