The new Los Palmeros monument at Km. 15 of the Las Americas Highway honors four young men remembered as fighters for freedom and democracy. The monument cost RD$12 million pesos, of which the municipality of Santo Domingo East provided five million and the land. It commemorates the 40th anniversary of the fall in combat of the heroes of 12 January 1972 - Amaury German Aristy, Virgilio Perdomo, Ulises Ceron and Bienvenido Leal Prandhy (La Chuta). The four resisted an onslaught by more than 200 soldiers commanded by five Army and National Police generals. The young men took refuge in a cave at the site and resisted for 10 hours the cross fire. They were remembered for having fought against repression during the first 12 years of the Balaguer government.

During the ceremony Senate president Reinaldo Pared Perez declared that 12 January every year would henceforth be known as the Day of Heroic Resistance.

The ceremony ended with a eulogy that Amaury German Aristy's mother Manuela Aristy first read when Amaury German Aristy was buried, followed by a visit to the cave.

According to El Caribe, during the ceremony Amable Aristy Castro, who was a member of the government at the time of the killings, was asked to leave as his presence was a lack of respect.

The ceremony was led by Pared Perez and Santo Domingo East mayor Juan de los Santos. They were accompanied by Senate vice president Cristina Lizardo, Senators Ruben Dario Cruz, Amable Aristy Castro, Julio Cesar Valentin, Jose Rafael Vargas, and Deputies Minou Tavarez Mirabal, Josefa Castillo and APD presidential candidate Max Puig, among others.

General Francisco Alberto Caamano's widow Maria Paula Acevedo (Chichita), Commander Fernandez Dominguez's widow Arlette Fernandez, Amaury's mother Dona Manuela Aristy, Amaury widow's Sagrada Bujosa Mieses, Minerva Ceron and Luisa Pena, representing the Committee of Heroes and Heroines of the Country, also attended the event.

www.elcaribe.com.do/2012/01/12/amable-fue-abucheado-inauguracion-monumento-los-palmeros

www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2012/1/12/72488/Inauguran-monumento-en-honor-a-Los-Palmeros-en-la-Autopista-Las-Americas

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