On May 3, 1935 The Evening Star of Washington DC published U.S. Sales Agent Jailed by Trujillo. This event creates a diplomatic crisis that included an invasion threat from Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy. After the crisis, Amadeo Barletta abandons the Dominican Republic and establish himself in La Habana, Cuba. He will remain outside of the Dominican Republic until Rafael Leonidas Trujillo is killed in 1961. At that time he returns to Santo Domingo and continue to develop his company Grupo Ambar, which owns the Santo Domingo Motors Company.

Observations

• Amadeo Barletta was the honorary consul of Italy in Santo Domingo.

• Barletta represented The Dominican Tobacco Company and Santo Domingo Motors Company.

• Trujillo jails Barletta and charge him with conspiring against his regime by selling a car to his political rivals.

• Rumors indicated that the real reason for his jailing was because Barletta refused to sell The Dominican Tobacco Company to an acquaintance of Trujillo.

• As soon as Barletta is arrested the income generated by The Dominican Tobacco Copmany are confiscate by Trujillo’s government.

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