SANTO DOMINGO.- Organizations and personalities from the municipality of Salcedo, Hermanas Mirabal province, commemorated the 65th anniversary of the arrest and disappearance of Dr. Manuel Tejada Florentino, who highlighted his fight for democracy and the freedom of the country during the dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo. .
In a document called the Salcedo declaration, they expressed that Tejada Florentino was an illustrious and exemplary citizen who emerged from the depths of the town of Salcedo with effort and dedication, with great quality of his work as a cabinetmaker, musician, cardiologist, and with an immense commitment to service to the country, with the promotion of the ideas of freedom, justice and well-being.
They indicated that Manuel Tejada Florentino, convinced of the importance of the organization of society to achieve the objectives of collective well-being, participated in the fight for democracy and freedom, and embarked on the formation of the June 14 Revolutionary Movement, together with his dear friend Ángel Concepción Lajara, Manolo Tavarez, the Mirabal Sisters and many patriots, who embarked on a path of no return towards the overthrow of the dictatorship and the conquest of freedom.
They narrated that on Friday, January 19, while he was on his way to fulfill his responsibilities as a cardiologist at the Dr Salvador B Goutier Hospital, he was arrested by the henchmen of the Trujillo dictatorship, being tortured, murdered, and physically disappeared.
«Dr. Tejada Florentino’s courage, vocation for service, and firm conviction in the values of love, friendship and truth, his dedication to social causes, and his status as Grand Master of the Lodge, make him a great in the history of the Dominican people and a symbol of responsible citizenship for present and future generations,” they express in the declaration.
The organizations and personalities reaffirmed their commitment to always honor the memory of Manuel Tejada Florentino, and to continue promoting his civic conduct as a paradigm of a dignified, responsible and committed life.
“Today, we reaffirm the call to unite to demand more actions in favor of clarifying the permanent disappearances of people who leave deep pain in their families and in their entire environment,” they noted.
Likewise, they called on the entire society to continue organizing around the defense of fundamental rights, especially for the most vulnerable sectors.
The declaration was signed by Manuel Tejada Tabar, president of the Dr. Tejada Florentino foundation; José Anibal García, President of the Council of the Dr Miguel Canela Lázaro Scientific High School; María Mercedes Ortiz, senator of the Republic; Juan Ramón Hernández, mayor of Salcedo; Luciano Bertozo, president of the National Human Rights Commission, Hermanas Mirabal branch; Professor Clara González, President of the Council of the Office for the Development of Women and Linabel González-President of the Council of the Center for Attention to Victims.
Also Juan Peña, executive director of the Pichardo Santana Foundation; Manolo Tavarez Mirabal, president of the Hermanas Mirabal Foundation; Clara Luz García, director of the Legal Center; María Lina Muñoz, coordinator of the Solidarity Fund; Yasmín De la Cruz, president of the Council of the House of the Elderly; Manuel Anibal García, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Production of the Hermanas Mirabal Province.
Additionally, Judith García, president of the Council for Culture and Fine Arts; Jaime David Fernández, president of the Association for the Development of the Hermanas Mirabal Province; Ana González, president of the Dr. Tejada Florentino de Tenares Community House; David Pichardo, president of the Hermanas Mirabal branch Dominican Medical College; Rainoa Ureña, president of the Women Solidarity Foundation; Luis López, president of the Council of the Youth House of the Hermanas Mirabal Province and Elena González, director of the Center for Attention to Diversity of the Hermanas Mirabal Province.
