Political, judicial and religious leaders continued to speak out against the possible establishment of a “Satanic Church” in Sosua, Puerto Plata. The Senator of the province of Puerto Plata, Rafael Octavio Silverio Galan, told the news media that foreigners – mostly from the U.S. and France – have continued to arrive in the D.R. in their attempt to explore the possibilities of starting such a church. The Director of the Immigration Department, Vitelio Mejia Ortiz, has said that he is conducting an investigation into all foreigners arriving in Puerto Plata who are suspected of being part of the “Satanic Church” project, and that the results of his investigation will be released to the public next week. The National Attorney General, Luis Nelson Pantaleon Gonzalez, has said that his office has conducted its own investigation of those allegedly involved in the scheme, but stated that he will wait for the report from Mr. Mejia Ortiz before releasing his own findings.
Newspaper columnists, politicians and religious leaders, among others, have continued their verbal attack on the possible establishment of the church in the D.R., claiming that it goes against “public order and the good customs” of the nation, which is largely Catholic. The rector of the Pontifica Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), Monsignor Agripino Nunez Collado, said in jest that “in a society with so many problems as it is, it is better to leave the Devil where he is.”
Despite the attention the church has been given in the news media by public officials, the President of the Association for the Development of Sosua, Antonio E. Isa Nadal, released a paid statement in the Listin Diario challenging the story that there are people exploring the possibility of establishing a Satanic Church. According to Mr. Isa Nadal, the first information about the matter came from a local newspaper called “El Vocero” which published a story about an unnamed and unidentified “gringa” who was coming to start a Satanic cult. He claims that the National Police investigated the claim and found no evidence of the existence of any such “gringa” or plans for a Satanic Church.
Mr. Isa Nadal complains of the ample coverage the issue has received in the Listin Diario newspaper, pointing out that the story has been dedicating space which could have been used to cover much more important events in the Sosua/Puerto Plata area.
8-14 March 1996