The arrest of the brothers and communicators Francisco and José Manuel Alcántara Sánchez has generated controversy, with two versions in dispute about the reason for his arrest.
While some point out that this is retaliation for having reported the theft of two air conditioners at the General Directorate of Immigration, lawyer Anny Elizabeth Guzmán, the plaintiff in the case, assures that the arrest responds to a complaint for violation of private property.
The first version maintains that the Alcántara brothers were arrested after making public a complaint about the theft and irregular transfer of two air conditioners belonging to the General Directorate of Immigration.
According to the communicators, the teams were transferred to the residence of the parents of Tomás Beras, an official of the entity, who was sanctioned by the institution after the irregularity in the procedure was confirmed.
Faced with this scenario, the official’s parents, Tomás Santana Carela and Juana Beras de Santana, filed a complaint for moral damages against the communicators, demanding compensation of 20 million pesos. In several meetings at the Ensanche La Paz community prosecutor’s office, both parties attempted to reach a conciliation agreement, but the negotiations failed, leading to the issuance of the arrest warrant.
For its part, the General Directorate of Immigration recognized the irregularity in the transfer of the air conditioners and sanctioned the official Tomás Beras. However, some media and statements issued by third parties suggest that the arrest of the Alcántaras could be a form of retaliation for having publicly exposed this situation.
Contrary to this version, Anny Elizabeth Guzmán, the plaintiffs’ lawyer, clarified that the arrest of the journalists is not related to the complaint about the air conditioners, but rather to a complaint for violation of private property. According to Guzmán, the Alcántaras entered the property of their clients without authorization to investigate, which constitutes a criminal offense under Dominican law.
“The right to private property is a crime that is punishable and that can be pursued with arrest, with jail, which establishes a custodial sentence,” explained Guzmán.
The lawyer also stated that the arrest warrant was issued after an investigation that confirmed that the Alcántara brothers entered the property without permission. He added that the defendants rejected the conciliation proposals, which sought to repair the alleged moral, economic and psychological damage suffered by the plaintiffs.
Finally, Guzmán disassociated the General Directorate of Immigration from the judicial process, emphasizing that this institution has no relationship with the complaint. “The General Directorate of Immigration has nothing to do with it here,” he concluded.
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