Santo Domingo.- President Leonel Fernandez had been threatened by military leaders, including an attack against him, after retiring 99 generals by decree in the first month of his second term in office, 2004-2008.
In the U.S. Embassy classified cable of October 28, 2004, part of the group provided to News source SIN by WikiLeaks, Fernandez told then ambassador Hans Hertell, after the diplomat referred in a conversation on corruption "the well-known practice of the military keeping 10% or more of the contracts," that it was a situation "beyond my (Fernandez) capacity to intervene."
"If a Latin American president seriously interferes with that type topic of the military, he risks their attempt against his life,” Fernandez said, according to the cable.
Fernandez said that his decree, which sent 99 generals to retirement in the first month of his administration, had already brought him problems. Their intelligence services informed him on threats of an assassination," the document says.
According to the cable, the chief executive told Hertell, that thought that the violence that was occurring at that time was due partly "to the agitation on the part of forces which are hostile toward him."
From: United States
Well it took wiki leaks to confirm what I posted in 2010.
some Presidency. A whois.
Written by: generoso, 2 Sep 2011 9:22 AM
From: Dominican Republic, United States
Fernandez was "scared", from threats by a bunch of fat, alcoholic, big butt generals, used to heroic acts beating prisoners, that are chained to the walls, that makes me laugh.
He was just being "over dramatic" in his complaints to Hans Hertell, the worst US ambassador-lobbyist in the history of the DR.
Fernandez should have kept on going, weeding out the arm chair generals, that in any other serious army would have the rank of corporals, (maybe).
From: United States, Brooklyn
have them shot Fernando these bastards are undermining our development
From: United States
I look at these generals and they remind me of the Nazi generals saluting "Heil Hitler" to their furher.
From: United States, Vivir sin Patria, es lo mismo que vivir sin Honor.
Not that this is similar in any shape or form, but what happened to Bosch can happen to any Dominican president if he does anything that the High command doesn't like. In DR whoever has the armed forces on his/her side will rule without opposition, you go against these guys and your days are numbered.
From: Dominican Republic
All of this begs the question: Why do we need a military? If we do, why do we need so many generals?
From: Dominican Republic, No Spin Zone
Leonel by doing this showed he was going in the right direction .......by beginning to dismantle the tin pot generals and and their lackeys he is moving the DR into the modern era ......The PRD cannot turn back the clock to the old Latin American style strong man dictatorship
From: United States
This is sickening. No moral values, the General thugs must go.
This is not a democracy if the armed services strong arm the President.
They should all be in jail. I hope the US does not grant them visas.
From: United States
99 generals!!! That's ridiculous for such a small military. The United States Marine Corp is capped at having 60 generals and the US Army at 240 and they have 99 Generals that makes no sense.
Written by: DomVilla, 2 Sep 2011 11:24 AM
From: United States, Maryland
La nueva Republica
From: United States
why would a country with such a small military have 99 generals in the first place. There should be one each for the branches of service but 99? Sounds like a military coup in the making
Written by: xfactor, 2 Sep 2011 12:18 PM
From: United States
Down with the generals. The military must be reformed. F.....g thieves!!!!
Written by: Cacique, 2 Sep 2011 1:04 PM
From: Dominican Republic
No more snaked eye generals, all military dissolved, convert to civilian departments, big chief fernandez no brave, he no take kiskeya tribe to good hunting ground...peace...
From: United States
The fact this is being exposed via WikiLeaks actually favors Pres. Fernandez because now he can take action and cleanse these scumbags out of government.
I am certain this is the same group of individuals on that famous "list" of Dominican military officials the US is holding. The propitious time to take action has come. It ain't rocket science.
Link to the March 2010 article on this website.
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/....nerals-on-lists-of-US-authoritiesFrom: United States
rodrigito, he'd only be able to fire these thugs if the US gives him people to guard him.
Written by: RonEvane 
, 2 Sep 2011 4:01 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Juansantodomingo:
Years ago, I asked the same question: . Why do we need an army and what's it good for?
Why waste tons of the people's money defending ourselves from...what? Haiti? Cuba? Who?
The fact of the matter is that these goons, in effect, have a stranglehold on the government and economy. Our president is powerless to restructure our military without risking his life!
These MF's syphon big $$$ from our treasury in exchange for very little. I challenge anyone on this board to tell me what, if anything, the army has done to merit their "raison de etre" in the last 20 years.
Written by: danny00, 2 Sep 2011 5:10 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
yes its easy for me to speak my mine {iam in miami] but i would like to have 3-4 minutes with any one these so-called generals alone with me.
trust me on this comment they would forget the general business and go back to being shoe shine boys on the malecon.
as i wrote last week mr. chavez president leo's bed-partner is forming his own army he does not trust the one he has now, hes bought for his new army over 3 billion dollars of arms for this cause.??? maybe pres leo should read this comment???
Written by: danny00, 2 Sep 2011 5:12 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
costa rica disbanded their army and put the money into their school system.
u dont see many people from costa rica trying to sneak into the states?
Written by: danny00, 2 Sep 2011 5:13 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
generals in what? robbing their own people?
From: Dominican Republic, Puerto Plata
The man is afraid of the military. Of the transport unions. Of the political mafias that put him in power and keep him there. Of the media. Of the IMF. Of the Americans. Of the narcos...
Should I continue??
That's why this country has become what it is.
Sad to say, but a wimp can't lead a country. Not even an educated one.
Written by: danny00, 2 Sep 2011 5:33 PM
From: United States, syosset, key west, santo domingo AND NOW THE GLOBE TROTTER
HIS JUST IN FROM DR1 TODAY
Robbery halted at Puerto Plata bank
A second lieutenant in the Dominican Air Force was shot dead yesterday while trying to commit a robbery, along with three other men, at a Banco de Reservas bank branch in Imbert, Puerto Plata. The dead man was identified as Marcelino Reyes Victor Silverio, 36, who lived in the Tamarindo area of the province of Santo Domingo, as reported in El Caribe
SO NOW U SEE WHAT THEY ARE GOOD FOR. OR GOOD AT, ROBBING PEOPLE AND DRUG DEALERS. SURE THE GENERALS GET THEIR SHARE OF THE LOOT..
From: United States
Figures the corruption and entitlement goes so deep even our president is scared. Someone needs to stand up and make a law that corruption by any official is an act of treason and results in immediate death sentence. Then start chopping heads off until every corrupt official is dead. We would have 0 unemployment and have a lot less people on the island.
Written by: RonEvane , 2 Sep 2011 10:10 PM
From: United States, Gaithersburg, Maryland
VeronicaDR.
"Then start chopping heads off until every corrupt official is dead. We would have 0 unemployment
and have a lot less people on th island"
You made me laught hard! I'm with you on this one. Unfortunately, judicial death penalty isn't on the books. So we can't legally mandate the death penalty as it's done in the US.
Of course this doesn't mean "street justice" has to abide by the law. So we may ultimately see "un ajuste de cuentas"! I hope so.
From: Dominican Republic
The Dominican military is run like the Italian Mafia in the USA. I'll never forget the time a military officer/friend laid it out for me. He told me that basically these officers are given guns, badges & something like 12,000RD (?...it wasn't a lot) a month & like in the Italian Mafia are told to hit the streets & start earning. Like the mafia, a young Lieutenant kicks up to some Captain who has 4-6 Lieutenants under him & he in turn has some Major that has 4-6 Captains on his crew above him who he pays tribute to & who in turn kicks up to some Colonel with a crew of Captains etc etc. The guys who move up are either from rich families (primarily military families) or the smartest/most ruthless/best earners from the rest of the ranks.
Written by: airgordo, 3 Sep 2011 1:15 AM
From: Dominican Republic
If this is True it will confirm that he is indeed a Ball-Less President, but it looks more like an EXCUSE so he can be as welll part of the 10%, that is more likely to be the case...
Written by: pelaut, 3 Sep 2011 8:30 AM
From: United States
If a gringo said what Fernandez did he'd be assailed as a racist, retrograde imperialist.
Thank you, Mr. President, for acknowledging one of the cultural shortcomings of Latin America.
Now back to the enduring criticism of the North American imperialist pigs.
Written by: Atabey, 3 Sep 2011 10:50 AM
From: United States, NYC
Written by: Mason3000, 3 Sep 2011 12:17 AM
From: Dominican Republic
The Dominican military is run like the Italian Mafia in the USA. I'll never forget the time a military officer/friend laid it out for me. He told me that basically these officers are given guns, badges & something like 12,000RD (?...it wasn't a lot) a month & like in the Italian Mafia are told to hit the streets & start earning. Like the mafia, a young Lieutenant kicks up to some Captain who has 4-6 Lieutenants under him & he in turn has some Major that has 4-6 Captains on his crew above him who he pays tribute to & who in turn kicks up to some Colonel with a crew of Captains etc etc. The guys who move up are either from rich families (primarily military families) or the smartest/most ruthless/best earners from the rest of the ranks.
2++
99 generals were ONLY the ones LF wanted to retire, there were more!! LF should use this moment and strike a hard blow against this institutionalized corruption organization
Written by: Atabey, 3 Sep 2011 10:52 AM
From: United States, NYC
Re-organizing the institution with a mere few generals, at most, in each of the branches. Say no more than two per branch! Make the institution NOT a growth industry for those looking for a successful payout career.
From: United States, I dont even live inside a house , I haunt one!
danny writes ............costa rica disbanded their army and put the money into their school system.
u dont see many people from costa rica trying to sneak into the states?
spoken like a coward pacifist , why would a country disband there military , a strong powerfull nation should always have a strong prepared military to defend its nest from outsiders . If chile practices this , it wont be long until a outside nations takeover there country faster , then the germans took over france in world war 2
Written by: tartesos, 3 Sep 2011 3:22 PM
From: United States
let us not be fools and recall( most of you dont know this) when he became president the first time there were less than 5 generals in all armed forces, he began the parody of promoting all his allies( and some say lovers but who are we to judge him right?) to generals( after he left there were over 60) and hipolito continued to do so and did not retire many...
if anything it is all his fault things are like this, he started it!!
From: Dominican Republic, La Romana
More than a handfull of generals in this country is military welfare.
From: United States
What are the daily. Activities of a general leaving on a sunny island. Serounded by blue waters with sexy woman walking around.. anyone ..please ?
From: Haiti
cacique
i see in DR, a lot of people who have the dirty hands lead this country! Day after day, I hear a lot of bad things in DR!
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some Presidency. A whois.
Fernandez was "scared", from threats by a bunch of fat, alcoholic, big butt generals, used to heroic acts beating prisoners, that are chained to the walls, that makes me laugh.
He was just being "over dramatic" in his complaints to Hans Hertell, the worst US ambassador-lobbyist in the history of the DR.
Fernandez should have kept on going, weeding out the arm chair generals, that in any other serious army would have the rank of corporals, (maybe).
have them shot Fernando these bastards are undermining our development
This is sickening. No moral values, the General thugs must go.
This is not a democracy if the armed services strong arm the President.
They should all be in jail. I hope the US does not grant them visas.
I am certain this is the same group of individuals on that famous "list" of Dominican military officials the US is holding. The propitious time to take action has come. It ain't rocket science.
Link to the March 2010 article on this website.
http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/....nerals-on-lists-of-US-authorities
rodrigito, he'd only be able to fire these thugs if the US gives him people to guard him.
Years ago, I asked the same question: . Why do we need an army and what's it good for?
Why waste tons of the people's money defending ourselves from...what? Haiti? Cuba? Who?
The fact of the matter is that these goons, in effect, have a stranglehold on the government and economy. Our president is powerless to restructure our military without risking his life!
These MF's syphon big $$$ from our treasury in exchange for very little. I challenge anyone on this board to tell me what, if anything, the army has done to merit their "raison de etre" in the last 20 years.
trust me on this comment they would forget the general business and go back to being shoe shine boys on the malecon.
as i wrote last week mr. chavez president leo's bed-partner is forming his own army he does not trust the one he has now, hes bought for his new army over 3 billion dollars of arms for this cause.??? maybe pres leo should read this comment???
u dont see many people from costa rica trying to sneak into the states?
Should I continue??
That's why this country has become what it is.
Sad to say, but a wimp can't lead a country. Not even an educated one.
Robbery halted at Puerto Plata bank
A second lieutenant in the Dominican Air Force was shot dead yesterday while trying to commit a robbery, along with three other men, at a Banco de Reservas bank branch in Imbert, Puerto Plata. The dead man was identified as Marcelino Reyes Victor Silverio, 36, who lived in the Tamarindo area of the province of Santo Domingo, as reported in El Caribe
SO NOW U SEE WHAT THEY ARE GOOD FOR. OR GOOD AT, ROBBING PEOPLE AND DRUG DEALERS. SURE THE GENERALS GET THEIR SHARE OF THE LOOT..
VeronicaDR.
"Then start chopping heads off until every corrupt official is dead. We would have 0 unemployment
and have a lot less people on th island"
You made me laught hard! I'm with you on this one. Unfortunately, judicial death penalty isn't on the books. So we can't legally mandate the death penalty as it's done in the US.
Of course this doesn't mean "street justice" has to abide by the law. So we may ultimately see "un ajuste de cuentas"! I hope so.
Thank you, Mr. President, for acknowledging one of the cultural shortcomings of Latin America.
Now back to the enduring criticism of the North American imperialist pigs.
From: Dominican Republic
The Dominican military is run like the Italian Mafia in the USA. I'll never forget the time a military officer/friend laid it out for me. He told me that basically these officers are given guns, badges & something like 12,000RD (?...it wasn't a lot) a month & like in the Italian Mafia are told to hit the streets & start earning. Like the mafia, a young Lieutenant kicks up to some Captain who has 4-6 Lieutenants under him & he in turn has some Major that has 4-6 Captains on his crew above him who he pays tribute to & who in turn kicks up to some Colonel with a crew of Captains etc etc. The guys who move up are either from rich families (primarily military families) or the smartest/most ruthless/best earners from the rest of the ranks.
2++
99 generals were ONLY the ones LF wanted to retire, there were more!! LF should use this moment and strike a hard blow against this institutionalized corruption organization
u dont see many people from costa rica trying to sneak into the states?
spoken like a coward pacifist , why would a country disband there military , a strong powerfull nation should always have a strong prepared military to defend its nest from outsiders . If chile practices this , it wont be long until a outside nations takeover there country faster , then the germans took over france in world war 2
if anything it is all his fault things are like this, he started it!!
i see in DR, a lot of people who have the dirty hands lead this country! Day after day, I hear a lot of bad things in DR!