Excerpts

Tell Me Who You Walk With…

Politics, once envisioned by thinkers like Plato as a science rooted in justice and truth, now seems surrounded by a darker landscape. For many, it has become a platform for power and private interests, overshadowing the common good. In this context, it is crucial to carefully choose those we trust to guide society, as history has shown that the greatest danger often comes from those who hide behind a veneer of virtue.

The art of politics, as Sun Tzu warned about war, is also the art of deception. Campaigns, though cloaked in lofty rhetoric, are battles where victory often matters more than transparency. In that environment, clientelism and corruption thrive—highlighting the need for a critical eye toward populism and the promises of false saviors.

Within this logic, political alliances are crucial: every endorsement conveys a message, and every supporter reflects values. When a candidate chooses to surround themselves with public figures, they inevitably project part of their own identity. This has become clear in the candidacy of Zohran Mamdani, who is running for mayor of New York City, as he has brought into his circle prominent figures such as Congressman Adriano Espaillat, former Mayor Bill de Blasio, union leader Henry Garrido—executive director of the influential District 37 union—and, more recently, the current Governor of New York, Kathy Hochul.

A key point in this debate is the responsibility a candidate has for the people who endorse them. While they can’t always control who wants to associate with their campaign, they do have the duty to filter who they let stay close and who they give public approval to. As the old saying goes: “You cannot stop the birds from flying over your head, but you can stop them from building a nest in it.”

When individuals with questionable records appear on campaign stages, in official events, or in campaign materials, the message to the public is clear: these allies reflect part of the candidate’s values and vision of power. For this reason, even if campaign managers handle operational tasks, the ultimate responsibility lies with the candidate, who bears the political and moral consequences of those associations. It is not just an electoral risk; it is an ethical and strategic issue, since allowing such endorsements can ultimately undermine governance itself.

At first glance, these endorsements might seem like signs of political strength. However, a closer look uncovers controversial ties. Official records—such as the New York State Board of Elections, OpenSecrets.org, FollowTheMoney.org, the New York City Campaign Finance Board (NYCCFB), the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and the portal MONEYCRACY—show donations from Darío Oleaga to the campaigns of figures like Adriano Espaillat and Bill de Blasio. The situation becomes even more troubling with Kathy Hochul, who not only endorsed Mamdani but also maintains a close relationship with Oleaga, appears in multiple photos and videos embracing him, and received blood-stained money from him for her most recent gubernatorial campaign.

The link between Oleaga and Hochul is significant; it indicates the institutional support of a man connected to a shadowy network of businesses and with a criminal background. This raises an important question: what does it imply when top officials in New York State receive political and financial backing from individuals involved in drug trafficking and money laundering schemes?

The situation remains just as sensitive with Henry Garrido. Although he is not an elected official, his close ties to Oleaga are well known. Public records, photos, trips to the Dominican Republic, and the recent formation of Sherman Creek Liquor LLC—the company behind The Corner Liquor in Inwood—register with the New York Department of State, Division of Corporations under ID number 6809007, link him directly to one of the projects identified as a tool for money laundering. Garrido has been more than an ally; he has acted as a political supporter and, in practice, as a key figure in initiatives that warrant closer investigation.

At this point, one must ask: who is Darío Oleaga? Beyond his façade as a businessman and cultural entrepreneur, court records reveal a different story. In the Dominican Republic, documents from the Santo Domingo courts—file no. 01-118-06678—connect him to a drug trafficking case in which, on November 2, 2001, eight people were arrested at Las Américas International Airport, accused of trying to smuggle several kilos of cocaine to New York City on two flights of an American airline. While it’s possible that this file has been tampered with and that the extensive typewritten interrogation has disappeared—as has happened in many cases in the Caribbean country, most recently in the investigation known as “Operación Gavilán”—the interested party must contact the Dominican Republic’s National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD) to obtain the original copy, especially the interrogation in question. In their initial statements, all the detainees denied any involvement; some even claimed that the drugs had been “planted” to harm them. But when they saw no way out, they gave detailed confessions. Julio states he had access to this file when a Dominican politician and former senator showed it to him, and he still keeps a copy.

Meanwhile, although Darío Oleaga’s criminal history in the United States begins shortly after his arrival, his name appears only in two minor cases—one for drunk driving and another for a petty offense—and he has never been prosecuted for crimes directly related to drug trafficking. In contrast, most of his business partners in bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and lounges have been found guilty and convicted of serious crimes: drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeit cancer medications, and identity theft through credit card fraud. Some of these former convicts have even expressed their willingness to publicly admit their collaboration with Oleaga if U.S. authorities decide to launch a formal investigation.

Buy the book and discover what no one else has dared to reveal. Learn who has deceived you, and who speaks with a forked tongue—offering speeches full of hope and promises, but delivering nightmares and betrayal not just to you, but to our great American nation. We will give you their full names—and if they go by nicknames, we will give you those too.