400 Mawazo gang kidnaps Dominican Republic official, demands USD 500,000 ransom

Kidnapping related activities in Haiti are unstoppable; the infamous 400 Mawazo gangs have now demanded a massive US$ 500,000 to release a Dominican Republic official.

The diplomat currently serving as the Dominican Republic's agricultural and commercial attaché in Haiti was kidnapped in the Gautier area of Croix-des-Bouquets. He was kidnapped while he was on his way to the Dominican Republic, where he had planned to spend the long Labor Day weekend with his family.

Guillén Tatis, on the other hand, did not cross the border at Jiman as scheduled and did not answer any phone calls, according to officials.

Faruk Miguel Castillo, the Dominican Ambassador accredited to Haiti, said in a diplomatic note that the Haitian Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been informed of the kidnapping and had requested that the matter be investigated by the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police in Haiti in addition to filing a complaint.

Guillén Tatis, according to relatives, is diabetic and faces a diabetic coma or even death if he does not get his daily dose of insulin.

According to reports the "400 Mawazo" gang is demanding a US$500,000 ransom for the diplomat's release.

After visiting an orphanage in the hamlet of Ganthier, east of the capital, Port au Prince, the "400 Mawazo" gang abducted 17 Canadian missionaries and their families in November of last year, and demanded 1 million for their release but the captives managed a daring midnight escape in December and travelling for kilometres over rugged, dark terrain with an infant and other children in tow.