The National Police announced Colonel Ramon A. Guzmán Peralta, the high ranking police officer assigned to the security of presidential candidate Luis Abinader of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) was arrested on charges of alleged money laundering, association of criminals and arms trafficking, among other charges brought by the prosecutors investigating the case.
The newspaper speculates the arrest is related to the charge of “sabotage” of the voting process in Sunday’s municipal elections. This is in contradiction to the explanation of “lack of quality controls”, the president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Julio Cesar Castaños Guzmán, had given to political party delegates as the reason for the suspension of the municipal vote on Sunday, 16 February 2020.
A telecom technician from whom the 34-year old colonel Guzmán had allegedly received information about the problems that led to the suspension of the municipal elections is also being held.
Guzmán was handed over to the police authorities at 5pm by PRM lawyers
Antoliano Peralta and Luis Soto, who are asking for guarantees for his physical integrity.
In a press release, PRM reported that the colonel had been assigned by the competent authorities to the security of presidential candidate Luis Abinader a month and a half ago. Until then he had been the police commander in Juan Dolio.
The PRM says Guzmán is investigated for “having received information from a technician from a telecommunications company that officers from the state security agencies were maneuvering to breach the JCE’s server through ports to damage the electoral process.”
PRM stated that it received this information and acted with due caution until it had confirmation of the information.
Colonel Guzmán said that at 3:12am his former residence, where his former wife and daughters live, was raided by alleged police and Public Prosecutor’s Office agents who would have tried to force his daughters to lead them to his whereabouts.
The National Police announced a press conference for 8am on 18 February to give more details on the arrest.
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18 February 2020