The former U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic says findings may be released within days in the deaths of several American tourists at resorts in the country.
"I've spoken with the attorney general's office there, and the attorney general is working very closely with all the agencies including the U.S. government, and I think we're very close. It's just they want to make sure that all the autopsies and all the investigations are complete," said James Brewster.
Brewster served for three and a half years as the U.S. Ambassador under President Barack Obama and maintains close ties to the country.
Brewster, who lives in North Texas, recently returned to the Dominican Republic at the request of Dominican government officials to offer advice on how to manage the crisis.
There has been wide speculation on the cause of the tourists' deaths, which happened at several different resorts. Brewster says he expects the investigation will reveal that most of the tragedies were unrelated. "I do think that you're going to see that they were different situations. Maybe one or two might be tied to something that we don't know," said Brewster.
There is a lot at stake for the Dominican Republic, which welcomes millions of tourists from around the world every year.
"They know that this is an important part of their economy, that they have to assure people and make sure that people believe that it is a safe place for them to go," Brewster said.
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Brewster said he understands travelers' fears. "Absolutely," he said. "They were tragic situations that happened to these individuals, and I think we always have to think of them first. But it is human nature to be scared."
Brewster said he's received a lot of phone calls recently from people wanting to know if they should cancel trips to the Dominican Republic. He answers without hesitation.
"What I tell them is, you should definitely go… Probably it's one of the safest places to go because so many people have been focusing on making sure that the protocols are put in place."
