Dominican Republic drug lord calls ex president ‘bandit'(Update)

Santo Domingo.-Drug trafficker Quirino Paulino on Thursday said the savings former president Leonel Fernández and senator Felix Bautista had in the collapsed Baninter bank remained frozen when it was ordered closed.

"When Hipolito (former president Mejía) shut Baninter’s doors the two of them (Fernandez and Bautista) immediately crumbled. Leonel doused the fire on Ramon Baez Figueroa (Baninter president) with me. He betrayed me, He put me in the middle to clean up the Baninter case.”

File. Ending days of doubts on allegations voiced in media programs, convicted drug lord Quirino Paulino showed his face Thursday in a Skype call to a nationally televised program in which he called former president Leonel Fernández a "bandit."

Paulino also challenged Justice minister Francisco Dominguez to open an investigation to challenge his accusations against several Dominican politicians and personalities.

Speaking Thurs. morning in the TV program Hilando Fino, Paulino warned Fernandez that he’ll take his case "to the very end," reiterating that the also president of the Dominican Republic’s ruling PLD party owes him RD$200.0 million (US$4.4million), allegedly loaned for the presidential bid in 2004.

"I’m a drug dealer, but I’m no thief. Those who don’t know me, know that I’m not capable of slander. I do this Leonel Fernandez, because of your disloyalty, for your disrespect," said the also former Capt. in the Dominican Army.