Martyr’s daughter slams retired general over murdered heroes

Santo Domingo.- Former presidential candidate Minou Tavarez Mirabal on Mon. said retired general Ramiro Matos Gonzalez isn’t qualified to issue judgments on any national topic, noting that if justice had been served, he would be serving time in prison.

The statement comes in the heels by the retired officer’s suggestion to erect a fence along the border.

“There are two things that Dominicans must remember: first, that since the Nuremberg Trials, crimes against humanity don’t expire, and second, that resorting to the claim that he carried out orders doesn’t exempt him from his responsibility either. The fact that someone had been sent him to kill doesn’t make him less of a murderer,” she said.

The president of the Opción Democrática party, said the alleged murderers of national heroes Manolo Tavárez Justo and Col. Francisco Alberto Caamaño, as well as their recognized participation in the executions of the expeditionary force of June 1959, disqualify him from being consulted or from issuing an opinion about any event related to national life. “And much less can be considered prestigious who has in his credit so many crimes against national heroes who are still unpunished.”

“Who defends the murderer of national heroes cannot be called a patriot,” she said, referring to those who echo and validate Matos’ arguments.

In December 2013, charges were filed against Matos for the Dec. 21, 1963, murder of Manolo Tavárez, at Las Manaclas, Santiago province. “It’s not about friends, or relatives who we’re talking about, but Dominicans, heroes of the country, murdered,” said his daughter

As to the charges filed Minou Tavarez said then Justice minister, Francisco Domínguez, “did nothing and who succeeded him, Jean Alain Rodríguez, either.”