SANTO DOMINGO, República Dominicana.-El 2 de marzo de 2004 el embajador Hans Hertell envió un cable al Departamento de Estado, en Washington, en el cual hacía referencia a su interés de que el presidente Hipólito Mejía destituyera a cuatro funcionarios, por sospechas de que habían incurrido en actos de corrupción.

Según el cable, entregado por el sitio Wikiileaks al Grupo SIN, los funcionarios que el gobierno estadounidense quería que fueran destituidos eran:el Consultor Jurídico, Guido Gomez Mazara; al embajador en Argentina, Cirilo Castellanos; director de Migración, Miguel Vásquez, y al Procurador General de la República, Víctor Céspedes.

En el cable número 14470,del 2 de marzo de 2004, el entonces embajador Hertell exponía entre los objetivos de la embajada norteamericana en Santo Domingo para el primer trimestre de 2004 estaban lograr la remoción de por lo menos un funcionario, “del que se cree es cómplice en el tráfico o corrupción”, Miguel Vásquez, entonces director General de Migración.

Asimismo, señalaba al Procurador General, Víctor Céspedes; al embajador dominicano en Argentina, Cirilo Castellanos, y al Consutor Jurídico del Poder Ejecutivo, Guido Gómez Mazara.

Gómez dejó el puesto para hacer campaña, se reporta que entregó su carta de renuncia el 1ro de marzo”

“Vásquez continúa en su puesto, pero Mejía le dijo al embajador que lo quitará pronto; el Procurador General Céspedes sigue en su puesto pero en respuesta al embajador, Mejía le dijo se iría pronto; Mejía ofreció la información de que estaba trayendo al país al embajador en Argentina;  Gómez dejó el puesto para hacer campaña, se reporta que entregó su carta de renuncia el 1ro de marzo”, indica el cable de reporte de Hertell.

No obstante, exceptuando el caso de Miguel Vásquez, el cable no entra en detalles sobre los hechos de corrupción en que habrían incurrido Gómez Mazara y Castellanos.

En el caso de Céspedes, en otros cables, Hertell lo había señalado como una persona no confiable.

Noticias SIN confirmó con la embajada de EE.UU que a Miguel Vásquez le fue retirada la visa norteamericana.

Observadores electorales

En el mismo cable, Hans Hertell habla de la preocupación del gobierno de Estados Unidos con la Junta Central Electoral dominicana:

“Tratar de que la Junta Electoral (JCE) solicite observadores, que trabaje con la OEA para definir el programa, asegure los fondos de parte del Departamento… La JCE oficialmente solicitó los observadores; trabaja con la OEA y  en varias opciones detalladas de acuerdo a las posibilidades de financiamiento”.

Asimismo, expone que sobre el programa del Fondo Monetario Internacional y préstamos institucionales internacionales, se trabajaba en convencer al Gobierno dominicano para que cumpliera a tiempo con el programa renegociado y mantenerlo al día con los compromisos.

“La junta del FMI aprobó el acuerdo Stand By el 11 de febrero;  el DCM solicitó al Secretario Técnico para que interponga sus buenos oficios para que se respete el compromiso de un tratamiento parecido para los prestamistas del sector privado; las negociaciones con el Club de París se pospusieron la semana pasada del 2 de marzo para abril;  ECOPOL está en contacto con representantes del FMI, el BID y WB”, precisa el cable.

 

WIKILEAKS

Los cables en inglés:

13709

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 000683

 

SIPDIS

 

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC), L/LEI (FUENTES AND TAYLOR)

JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA (J.MAZUREK AND R. GOLDMAN)

US MARSHAL SERVICE PLEASE PASS TO C. DUDLEY

DEA FOR OF,OFI,DO,DOC

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2014

TAGS: CJAN, KCRM, KFRD, PINR, SNAR, DR

SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL FINALLY COMPLIES,

EXTRADITES JOESFINA ROJAS

 

REF: A. 02 STATE 03705

 

B. EMAILS KERWIN/HEINEMANN/MAZUREK – NOVEMBER 03

 

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Lisa J. Kubiske.  Reason 1.5 (b)

(d).

 

1. (U) On January 30, 2004, Josefina Rojas was extradited

from the Dominican Republic in the company of US Marshals.

Rojas is wanted to stand trial on federal narcotics charges

in the Southern District of New York.  The Dominican

Republic’s National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD), working

with U.S. Marshals and DEA, arrested Rojas.  This is the 70th

extradition since 1998, and is the first case of a prisoner

released by the GODR Attorney General and then re-arrested

and extradited.

 

2. (SBU) Embassy requested the extradition of Rojas in

January 2002.  The provisional arrest warrant for her was

issued by former Dominican Attorney General, Virgilio Bello

Rosa, on October 25, 2002.  Rojas was captured and imprisoned

in Spring 2003.  President Mejia signed an order of

extradition for Rojas on October 29, 2003.  One day later,

current Attorney General, Victor Cespedes Martinez, signed an

order releasing Rojas from custody.  Dominican law

enforcement contacts told DEA agents that Rojas had been

released.  Embassy officials received no official notice or

explanation of the release.  Additionally, the extradition

order signed by President Mejia did not become public until

Rojas was re-arrested on January 25, 2004.

 

3. (C) In a November meeting with Ambassador Hertell,

Attorney General Cespedes stated that he believed that Rojas

was released because he felt that she would be subject to

double jeopardy if returned to the United States.  When

questioned further, the Attorney General stated that Rojas

was released from prison due to illness and for reasons of

compassion.  The Attorney General said that she had a tumor

that needed to be treated and that she would be turned over

to the USG after she received treatment.  Ambassador Hertell

told the Attorney General that Rojas would be provided

whatever medical treatment necessary once she was in custody

of U.S. authorities.

 

4. (C) The Dominican law enforcement contacts who originally

alerted the DEA of Rojas' release speculated that Cespedes

freed her was because a personal relationship had developed

between Rojas and the Attorney General.  After Rojas was

released, Dominican law enforcement contacts reported to DEA

agents that she returned to the prison where she had been

incarcerated to taunt other prisoners.

 

5. (C) In addition to meeting with Attorney General Cespedes

to discuss extradition cases Ambassador Hertell has raised

extradition issues with President Mejia on at least four

occasions within the past three months.  It is likely that

the direct dialog between Ambassador Hertell and President

Mejia precipitated the re-arrest of Rojas and her subsequent

extradition.

 

6. (SBU) Since the GODR began extraditing fugitives to the

U.S. in 1998, 70 prisoners have been successfully returned to

the U.S. to stand trial or serve outstanding sentences.

Since early 2003, when Cespedes was named Attorney General,

five fugitives for whom the USG has requested extradition

have been arrested and released.  Prior to Cespedes becoming

Attorney General, no fugitives who had been arrested pursuant

to a valid U.S. requests for extradition had been released by

the GODR.  The Rojas case marks the first instance in which a

prisoner had been released by order of the Attorney General

and subsequently re-arrested and extradited.

 

7. (C) The actions of Attorney General Cespedes in relation

to Rojas are questionable at best, illegal at worst.  With

the circulation of President Mejia’s October 29 extradition

order for Rojas, it is now evident that the Attorney General

contravened a direct written order by the President when he

signed the order for her release.  The Attorney General’s

conduct in other extradition cases is being reviewed and

questioned by embassy officials.  Septel will report updates

on those cases.

 

8. (U) Rojas marks the first extradition by the Dominican

Republic in 2004, and the fifty-third under the

administration of President Mejia.

HERTELL

14470

 

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001343

 

SIPDIS

 

SENSITIVE

 

FOR WHA/CAR

 

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: AMGT, DR

SUBJECT: EMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 90-DAY GOALS

 

REF: EMAILS MEIGS/MCISAAC

 

1.  (SBU) Following are Embassy Santo Domingo’s goals for the

first quarter of CY 2004 and a status report:

 

Rule of Law

Obtain removal of at least one official believed to be

complicit in trafficking or corruption — Miguel Vasquez,

Atty Gen Cespedes, Ambassador to Argentina, Guido Gomez

Status as of 2/29:   Vasquez still in place but Mejia told

Amb he will be removed soon;  AG Cespedes still in place but

in response to Amb demarche Mejia told Amb he would leave

soon; Mejia volunteered info that he was calling home Amb to

Argentina; Gomez has left office to participate in campaign,

reported to have tendered his resignation on March 1

 

Election Observers

Get Elections Board (JCE) to request observers, work with OAS

to define program, secure funding from Department as

envisioned by A/S Noriega, secure cooperation of other

mini-Dublin group embassies

Status as of 2/29: JCE formally requested observers on 1/30;

work with OAS on-going and various options outlined according

to possibilites of funding; Dept funding awaits WHA and RM

action; ECOPOL has contacted other embassies

 

IMF program and international institutional lending

Convince GODR to comply in timely fashion with renegotiated

IMF program and to keep it on track with commitments

Status as of 2/29:  IMF Board approved standby on Feb 11; DCM

made demarche to TechSec to urge respect for commitment for

comparable treatment for private sector lenders; Paris Club

negotiation postponed last week from March 2 to April; ECOPOL

in close contact with IMF, IDB and WB resreps

KUBISKE

15390

 

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 001950

 

SIPDIS

 

STATE FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC), L/LEI (FUENTES AND TAYLOR), PM

JUSTICE FOR CRIM/OIA J. MAZUREK AND R. GOLDMAN

US MARSHAL SERVICE PLEASE PASS TO C. DUDLEY

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2014

TAGS: CJAN, DR, KCRM, KJUS, SNAR, PREL, MARR

SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ATTORNEY GENERAL PROMISES ARTICLE 98 AND

EXTRADITIONS

 

REF: A. STATE 52123

 

B. SANTO DOMINGO 683

C. SANTO DOMINGO 515

D. SANTO DOMINGO 795

 

Classified By: Ambassador Hans. H. Hertell, reasons 1.5(b) and (d).

 

1.  (U)  Summary.  On March 24 Dominican Attorney General

Victor Cespedes Martinez promised the Ambassador that he

would act swiftly on the Article 98 agreement, facilitate

extradition requests and work to improve the handling of

narcotics/narcotrafficking cases in the Dominican Republic.

End Summary.

 

——————

Article 98

——————

 

2.  (C)  The Ambassador received Attorney General Cespedes on

March 24 at the Attorney General’s request.  The Ambassador

stressed the importance of swift movement on Article 98 and

Cespedes stated that the USG could count on his immediate

support.  Cespedes should receive the Article 98 agreement

from the Foreign Ministry within days.  He will review it and

forward it to the legal office at the Presidency.  The legal

office at the Presidency will be the final stop before the

agreement is sent to Congress for ratification.  Cespedes

said he will push for immediate ratification once the

agreement in the Congress.

 

——————

Extraditions

——————

 

3.  (C)  On extraditions, Cespedes stated confidently that no

other Latin American country, and perhaps no other country in

the world, works as closely with the USG on extradition

requests.  He said he wanted to continue the close

relationship and ensure that the process was

institutionalized.  For the first time, he told Emboffs to

contact him directly in regard to any extradition case

instead of sending requests and questions to Assistant

Attorney General Francisco Cadena Moquete.  He stated his

desire to have the best extradition record of any Dominican

Attorney General.

 

4.  (C)  When the Ambassador asked about the release on March

23 of Lourdes Ivelise Machuca, a fugitive for whom we had

requested extradition in October 2003, Cespedes appeared

unaware of the extradition request.  He told us that he would

re-arrest Ms. Machuca and she would be extradited in the same

manner in which Josefina Rojas was re-arrested and extradited

(reftel B).  Cespedes told us that he signed a medical

release order for her because she is suffering from "suicidal

tendencies."  He said she is hospitalized and receiving

treatment.  On March 25 poloff supplied the Attorney General

with another copy of the extradition request for Ms. Machuca.

 

 

5.  (C)  Within the last week, Cespedes has signed 17

provisional arrest warrants for fugitives believed to be

located in the Dominican Republic.  The signed orders have

been passed to the local authorities and Embassy DEA, LEGAT

and U.S. Marshal offices.  One of the provisional arrest

warrants is for Ramon Garcia, (reftel C) a fugitive who was

arrested and released by the GODR last year.

 

—————————————

Narco-trafficking and Money Laundering

—————————————

 

6. (SBU)  The Ambassador asked Cespedes what could be done to

improve prosecution of narcotics/narcotrafficking cases.

Cespedes said that nacrotrafficking policy has strengthened

quite a bit in recent years.  He said he had given directives

for a mandatory process which attaches a single prosecutor to

all phases of a given narcotics case, in effect, reducing the

possibility of case tampering by an interceding prosecutor.

Arrest warrants and legal confirmation papers must be signed

at the time of capture.  According to Cespedes, all

narcotrafficking cases are treated with the utmost care.  He

told us that we should notify him personally if we encounter

any irregularities with any of the prosecuting officials in

narcotrafficking cases.

 

7.  (C)  Cespedes said there is little he can do in

narcotrafficking and money laundering cases in regard to

asset forfeiture.  He stated the Dominican money laundering

law is new and untested.  He said that he would work with the

DNCD in any way possible to assist them in seizing assets,

however, he pointed out, asset seizure responsibility does

not lie in his office.

 

——–

Comment

——–

 

8.  (C)  Attorney General Cespedes is of questionable

character.  Until he became Attorney General, there had been

no extradition cases in which an arrested fugitive had been

released rather than returned to the USG (reftel B).  He has

misled us in the past and we believe he has lied directly.

The Ambassador previously expressed USG concerns about the

Attorney General to President Mejia and President Mejia told

us that he planned to remove the Attorney General from his

position (reftel D).

 

9.  (C)  At this juncture, Cespedes seems eager to please the

USG.  It appears that he is fighting for his job or perhaps a

"promotion" (e.g., to the Supreme Court bench, as rumored in

the press).  It is possible that he has heard rumors that the

USG has questions about him. This may be the motivation for

his sudden desire to cooperate with us.

HERTELL

20224

 

C O N F I D E N T I A L SANTO DOMINGO 004904

 

SIPDIS

 

SENSITIVE

 

DEPARTMENT FOR CA/VO/L/C, WHA/CAR (MCISAAC), L/LEI (W.

FUENTES AND M. TAYLOR);

 

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/29/2014

TAGS: CVIS, CJAN, PREL, PGOV, SNAR, KCRM, DR

SUBJECT: ADDENDUM TO REQUEST FOR CONCURRENCE IN VISA

REVOCATION 212(A)(2)(C) (CESPEDES MARTINEZ, VICTOR MANUEL)

 

REF: SANTO DOMINGO 4401

 

Classified By: DCM Lisa Kubiske for Reason 1.5 (b) and (d).

 

1. (C) SUMMARY.  In reftel, Embassy requested Department’s

concurrence in the revocation of the B1/B2 visa of now former

Attorney General Victor Cespedes under section 212(a)(2)(C)

of the Immigration and Nationality Act.  Following that

cable, just two days before leaving office, Cespedes ordered

the early release from prison of a former Dominican

vice-consul in Haiti who was sentenced to ten years in prison

for trafficking 43 kilograms of cocaine.  This is yet another

example, in our opinion, of why the visa should be revoked.

END SUMMARY.

 

2. (C) In July, Embassy sent reftel outlining the case for

revocation of the B1/B2 visa of now former Attorney General

Victor Cespedes under section 212(a)(2)(C) of the Immigration

and Nationality Act.  Cespedes left office on August 16 when

power transferred to a new government.

 

3. (U) On August 14, just two days before leaving office,

Cespedes ordered the release from prison of former Dominican

vice-consul to Haiti Ormis Freddy Pena Mendez.  Pena was

arrested in 2002 along with four others while trafficking

nearly 43 kilograms of cocaine from Haiti to Santo Domingo.

Pena was also found with 15,000 pesos (about USD 400), USD

5,000, 16 passports (11 Haitian, four Dominican, and one

French) and several firearms, including an Uzi.  About two

months later, Pena was sentenced to 10 years in prison and

ordered to pay a 50,000 peso fine (about USD 1,250).

 

4. (U) According to news reports, Cespedes said he released

Pena because of concerns for Pena’s health, including

hypertension and diabetes.  (Note: The Directorate of Prisons

reported in July that 15% of all Dominican prisoners have

hypertension.)  At this point Pena had served less than two

years of his sentence. In a radio interview on August 25

Cespedes was unable to recall the details of the health

justification for the release.

 

5. (U) In addition, only hours before the change of

government the Attorney General’s office ordered that

prisoner Martiza Aquino be released on medical grounds.

Aquino is accused of carrying 129 bags of heroin in her

stomach.

 

6. (U)  On August 26 new Attorney General Dominguez Brito

ordered the return to jail of Pena and Aquino and announced a

formal investigation into the release of prisoners for health

reasons.  He said that his office was investigating

apparently unjustified additions to the list of prisoners

recommended for pardons, indicating that the changes had been

made in the Attorney General’s office.  The new Attorney

General has placed a formal prohibition upon Cespedes from

leaving the country (a precautionary measure also taken in

regard to a number of other Mejia administration officials).

 

7. (C) COMMENT.  Cespedes has a record of releasing known

drug traffickers (see reftel).  When viewed as part of a

pattern of behavior, the Pena and Aquino cases reinforce the

argument set forth in reftel, which is that Cespedes has

aided, abetted, conspired or colluded in trafficking

activities and that revocation of his visa is proper.  END

COMMENT.

KUBISKE