Villa Mella Neighbors Frightened by Sunday’s Killings

Although six days have passed since Víctor Manuel Marte Martínez (Muñecón), Yorki Otaño, and Police Private Carlos Manuel Núñez were murdered in the “Nuevo Mundo” grocery store in Vietnam, in San Felipe de Villa Mella, the residents of the neighborhoods La 28, San Felipe, El Almendro and Carlos Álvarez are far from recovering their tranquility: they still fear that those responsible for the murders will retaliate against them, as they warn in audios.

The situation has increased the level of anguish and stress; they spoke with much nervousness yesterday and offered statements in anonymity because they fear the criminals.

Such is the case of a Haitian motoconchista who works at the bus stop in the Carlos Alvarez neighborhood and said that he finishes his work earlier for his safety.

“I take people to all the neighborhoods of Santo Domingo Norte, but most of the clients live where the people were killed and, as you understand, I don’t even go in there. I’m home by six in the afternoon,” he said.

Similarly, a resident said that all the delinquents from other neighborhoods take advantage of the situation to commit vandalism.

Similarly, in the La 28 neighborhood, a bodeguero (shop owner) said that he had reinforced his business so that the delinquents could not take his merchandise. “Although Sunday’s situation occurred in a neighborhood close to mine, I don’t doubt that these delinquents will come down here to do damage. Therefore, I don’t trust them,” he said.

The tension in the San Felipe neighborhood was more substantial as people did not want to give any statements.

The same in Mata de Los Indios, businesses remain closed, and there is little flow of people in the streets. They fear riots.

Reduced hours of alcohol sales
The Ministry of Interior and Police temporarily reduced the sale of alcoholic beverages from today. The new hours are from Monday to Sunday from 12:00 pm to 8:00 am.

The resolution states that the sale of alcohol in inappropriate places and hours increases the possibility of situations that endanger health and life and warns that the violation could result in the establishment’s provisional or definitive closing and the license’s cancellation.

It explains that the Directorate for the Control of Alcoholic Beverages (Coba) and the Police will execute the appropriate actions in accordance with the law to reestablish order.

About the Police
Residents highlighted the reactivation of the work of the Police, which maintains agents of the Lince Unit and the Swat, with the members of the National Drug Control Directorate.