Jesús Galíndez
Encyclopedia
Jesús Galíndez Suárez (born October 12, 1915, Amurrio
- died 1956) was a Spanish writer who disappeared in New York City
. He was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by henchmen of Rafael Trujillo, dictator of the Dominican Republic
.
. In 1939 he fled to Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo), where he lectured and represented the Basque Government
as a delegate. He started to investigate Trujillo and his government, encountered problems, and fled again, moving to New York
in 1946. There, he associated with Ibero-American Poets, the Writers Guild, the International League for the Rights of Man, and the Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom. At Columbia University
he lectured about international law and completed his doctoral thesis about Trujillo and his rule. Galíndez allegedly became an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI).
As was well known, Galíndez feared that Dominican agents might hurt him. On the night of his death, two Dominican ships were in New York; one put out that night and returned after 5 hours, the other left later. However, investigations initially went nowhere. His body was never found, but with the unraveling of the Murphy disappearance further light was shed on his case.
Under pressure from relatives, their Congress representatives, and the US State Department, the Dominican government got into the picture: it was suggested that Octavio de la Maza, also a pilot with CDA, and Murphy had a brawl, as a result of which Murphy fell from a cliff into the ocean. De la Maza was arrested and jailed but refused to admit any involvement. On January 7, 1957, he was found hanging in his cell with a suicide note and an admission of involvement. However, circumstances of his "suicide" implied that it was staged and his note was declared a forgery by the FBI.
The trial in the US of John J. Frank in November 1956 as unregistered agent for the Dominican government provided further insights into the Galíndez–Murphy connection. He stated that Galíndez had been under Dominican supervision for some time, and it was feared that he was writing a critical volume about Trujillo and his family. Agents offered US$25,000 to buy the manuscript, but Galíndez refused. Thus Trujillo decided that Galíndez had to be killed.
A plan was hatched to use an American pilot, namely Murphy. Murphy rented a Beech aircraft
, equipped it for long distance flight and landed on March 12 in Amityville. In the night an ambulance arrived and a "patient" was moved on the airplane. The plane, piloted by Murphy, flew to West Palm Beach to refuel. Then Murphy flew to the Dominican Republic with the "patient", who then disappeared. Murphy initially had plenty of money, but may have talked too much and disappeared. It is alleged that Galíndez was the "patient".
who had been a close friend to de la Maza. In the US, Trujillo hired Sydney S. Baron and Co. to counteract the negative publicity and reactions the Galíndez case had evoked. Baron hired Morris Ernst
to investigate the Galíndez disappearance. With the help of the Dominican government, they produced a report in May 1958 that whitewashed the Dominican government of any involvement. Nevertheless, Crassweller sees the Galíndez case as one factor in the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Trujillo.
The brother of Octavio de la Maza, Antonio de la Maza
, later was one of the assassins of Trujillo.
The Galíndez case was the inspiration for the 1991 novel Galíndez
by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
that, in turn, resulted in the 2003 movie "El Misterio Galíndez (The Galíndez File)". In 2002 Ana Diez directed the documentary Galíndez about the affair.
Amurrio
Amurrio is a town and municipality located in the province of Álava, in the Basque Country, northern Spain.-External links:* Information available in Spanish...
- died 1956) was a Spanish writer who disappeared in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was allegedly kidnapped and murdered by henchmen of Rafael Trujillo, dictator of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
Biography
Galíndez participated as a Basque nationalist in the Spanish Civil WarSpanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. In 1939 he fled to Ciudad Trujillo (Santo Domingo), where he lectured and represented the Basque Government
Basque Government
The Basque Government is the governing body of the Basque Autonomous Community of Spain. The head of this government is the lehendakari or Basque president that is appointed by the Basque Parliament every four years...
as a delegate. He started to investigate Trujillo and his government, encountered problems, and fled again, moving to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1946. There, he associated with Ibero-American Poets, the Writers Guild, the International League for the Rights of Man, and the Inter-American Association for Democracy and Freedom. At Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
he lectured about international law and completed his doctoral thesis about Trujillo and his rule. Galíndez allegedly became an informant for the Federal Bureau of Investigation
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
(FBI).
Disappearance
Galíndez was last seen at 10 PM on March 12, 1956, as he entered the subway station at 57th Street and Eighth Ave in the Manhattan district of New York; Time magazine indicated that he disappeared near a subway station at 116th Street and Broadway.As was well known, Galíndez feared that Dominican agents might hurt him. On the night of his death, two Dominican ships were in New York; one put out that night and returned after 5 hours, the other left later. However, investigations initially went nowhere. His body was never found, but with the unraveling of the Murphy disappearance further light was shed on his case.
The Murphy case
Gerald Lester Murphy was an American airline pilot for the Dominican airline, CDA. On December 4, 1956, his car was found abandoned near Ciudad Trujillo, without a trace of him.Under pressure from relatives, their Congress representatives, and the US State Department, the Dominican government got into the picture: it was suggested that Octavio de la Maza, also a pilot with CDA, and Murphy had a brawl, as a result of which Murphy fell from a cliff into the ocean. De la Maza was arrested and jailed but refused to admit any involvement. On January 7, 1957, he was found hanging in his cell with a suicide note and an admission of involvement. However, circumstances of his "suicide" implied that it was staged and his note was declared a forgery by the FBI.
The trial in the US of John J. Frank in November 1956 as unregistered agent for the Dominican government provided further insights into the Galíndez–Murphy connection. He stated that Galíndez had been under Dominican supervision for some time, and it was feared that he was writing a critical volume about Trujillo and his family. Agents offered US$25,000 to buy the manuscript, but Galíndez refused. Thus Trujillo decided that Galíndez had to be killed.
A plan was hatched to use an American pilot, namely Murphy. Murphy rented a Beech aircraft
Beechcraft
Beechcraft is an American manufacturer of general aviation and military aircraft, ranging from light single engine aircraft to business jets and light military transports. Previously a division of Raytheon, it has been a brand of Hawker Beechcraft since 2006....
, equipped it for long distance flight and landed on March 12 in Amityville. In the night an ambulance arrived and a "patient" was moved on the airplane. The plane, piloted by Murphy, flew to West Palm Beach to refuel. Then Murphy flew to the Dominican Republic with the "patient", who then disappeared. Murphy initially had plenty of money, but may have talked too much and disappeared. It is alleged that Galíndez was the "patient".
Consequences
The death of de la Maza created a friction between Trujillo and his son RamfisRamfis Trujillo
Lieutenant General Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Martínez , better known as Ramfis Trujillo, was the son of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina and María Martínez...
who had been a close friend to de la Maza. In the US, Trujillo hired Sydney S. Baron and Co. to counteract the negative publicity and reactions the Galíndez case had evoked. Baron hired Morris Ernst
Morris Ernst
Morris Leopold Ernst was an American lawyer and co-founder of the American Civil Liberties Union.He was born in Uniontown, Alabama on Aug. 23, 1888, to a Czech-born father and German mother. He lived in various locations around New York City from the age of 2...
to investigate the Galíndez disappearance. With the help of the Dominican government, they produced a report in May 1958 that whitewashed the Dominican government of any involvement. Nevertheless, Crassweller sees the Galíndez case as one factor in the deteriorating relationship between the United States and Trujillo.
The brother of Octavio de la Maza, Antonio de la Maza
Antonio de la Maza
Antonio de la Maza was one of the conspirators in the assassination of Rafael Trujillo. He used Juan Tomas Diaz's shotgun to shoot Trujillo while he was driving at night to see his wife...
, later was one of the assassins of Trujillo.
Literature and movies
Galíndez's book was published posthumously in 1973 as The Era of Trujillo, Dominican Dictator (University of Arizona Press, ISBN 0816503591, ISBN13: 9780816503599).The Galíndez case was the inspiration for the 1991 novel Galíndez
Galíndez
Galíndez is a novel by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, published in 1991 that centres on a real, dramatic and dark episode of the history of the Dominican Republic: the kidnapping, torturing and murdering of Jesús de Galíndez in 1956, representative of the Basque government in exile before the U.S...
by Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán
Manuel Vázquez Montalbán was a prolific Spanish writer: journalist, novelist, poet, essayist, anthologue, prologist, humourist, critic, as well as a gastronome and a FC Barcelona supporter....
that, in turn, resulted in the 2003 movie "El Misterio Galíndez (The Galíndez File)". In 2002 Ana Diez directed the documentary Galíndez about the affair.
External links
- Jesús de Galíndez: Inside a Dictatorship (1955).Chapter in Caudillos:Dictators in Spanish America by Hugh Hamill, University of Oklahoma Press, 1992