Ex Lieutenant General isn’t on the run, Armed Forces chief affirms

Santo Domingo.- Armed Forces minister Sigfrido Pared denied Wednesday that Maj. General Manuel de Jesus Florentino had left the country secretly, as some outlets reported.

During president Danilo Medina’s departure to Spain last night, Pared called the reports unfounded, when asked if his predecessor and former National Investigations Department (DNI) director, had abandoned the country.

"That’s false, totally false, the Armed Forces does not work on rumors, we always act when we have documents and direct reports," said the top military leader, affirming that Florentino is in the country.

Local media recently reported that Florentino had left the country after allegedly being cited among the officials who reportedly collaborated with the drug trafficking convict Quirino Paulino.

Pared, quoted by hoy.com.do, said a senior official cannot leave the country unless it’s a mission, and must first have an authorization issued by the Armed Forces " so it’s not true that this officer left the country."

If the reports of Florentino’s links with Paulino are confirmed, he would become the highest-ranked Dominican officer to be indicted on drugs, given his former transitory rank of lieutenant general.