Jet Set’s Ground Zero: Justice’s Silence Keeps the Wound Open

Santo Domingo. – Four months after the collapse of the roof at the Jet Set nightclub, the pain of the loss of more than 230 lives, persists in family members but also in Dominicans who, without a direct link to the victims, have joined the call for justice. It is the case of Eliana Schneider, a Dominican resident in Minnesota, who visited this Friday the improvised altar erected in front of the scene of the tragedy. “I didn’t have any family here, but this has deeply affected me. I spent sleepless nights looking for information, feeling helpless from afar,” said Eliana, visibly moved. Back in the country, she decided to go personally to the so-called “ground zero,” where candles, flowers, photos, and posters keep the memory of the victims alive.

“One hopes that justice will be done. But seeing how everything has been handled, one already loses faith,” he lamented.

The scene at the site is overwhelming: dozens of candles surround a wall with portraits of the victims, guarded by yellow ribbons and messages of grief. In the middle of that space, family members and citizens share the same feeling: frustration at what they consider an insufficient response from the judicial system. During the commemorative day, Father Rogelio Cruz officiated a Eucharist in memory of the deceased and renewed his commitment along with other religious leaders to go to the place every 8th of the month. “Dominican justice has failed. They sold us a figure that does not reflect the magnitude of the event, and those responsible are still free. If this had been a poor person, they would already be in jail. But these people have power and money,” denounced the religious leader.

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Cruz also asked that the space be declared a public place of memory, so that the country has a place to remember and honor the victims with dignity. “Innocent people died here. We cannot allow oblivion to win,” he said. Meanwhile, visits continue and candles keep being lit. The altar not only symbolizes a tragedy, but also an open wound that Dominican justice has yet to heal.