Watchdog: Fugitive ex-El Salvador leader hides in Dominican Republic resort

Santo Domingo.- The watchdog organization Dominican Anti-Corruption Alliance (ADOCCO) affirmed Monday that former El Salvador president Francisco Flores, a fugitive charged with embezzlement in his country, might be hiding in Dominican Republic’s eastern region.

Flores is wanted on an arrest warrant issued on May 6 by a court in San Salvador. His bank accounts and properties have been also seized since January by the San Salvador Office of the Prosecutor.

Citing "reliable Salvadoran sources," ADOCCO launched the warning to Dominican law enforcement that Flores had flown to Panama and Dominican Republic from there, specifically to an east region resort where he reportedly has real estate investments.

Flores, who held office from 1999 to 2004, was charged with embezzling US$15.0 million received from Taiwan and for failing to appear before his country’s congressional investigation commission on January 30.

In his first appearance Flores admitted having received millions of dollars in aid from his then counterpart of Taiwan, Chen Shui-bian, who’s been in prison in his country since 2009, convicted of corruption.