Cabarete and Sosua Election for Mayors

Oct 11, 2010
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Let the "festivities" begin . . .

Unfortunately as expected, Willie's "constituents" are not too happy. As the reality of the PLD/PRD victory sets in so does the reality of local Dominican politics. This morning Sos?a was still unusually quiet. As more and more people became aware of the results of Bulletin No. 7, with Ilana Neumann leading by almost 1,200 votes the mood began to shift.

It is now about 5:30 as I write this and most of the businesses in Los Charamicos are closing. The street is filling rapidly with probably not the most "savory" residents of our beloved Sos?a. I have personally seen two white Toyota Jeeps driving around with several passengers outfitted with kevlar vests and armed with shotguns. These passengers are not military and are not police. And while I would normally take a photo or two as I did earlier this week when I was watching the events play out at the JCE office by the public school, I won't be taking any photos here, I know the players of this part of the game.

Supposedly Wilfredo Olivences is going to speak at the JCE early this evening. That is what I've been told. If that is true, this is probably one part of Sos?a culture that most expats and ALL tourists might want to just watch on television. I will definitely be there, but like I said I know the players, not as casual acquaintances but people who I've known for years. I also know the limits of the game, and this could get out of hand very quickly.

If it is true that Willie is going to speak at the JCE I'm sure it will be a conciliatory speech. Well, I hope so. I'm heading there now. The entertainment continues.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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strange that national press does not mention sosua among the hot spots where protests and riots are brewing...
 
Oct 11, 2010
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strange that national press does not mention sosua among the hot spots where protests and riots are brewing...

It's been relatively quiet here so far, even this morning more quiet than usual. I think one of the reasons was that the vote count was so close. But that started to change as the news of bulletin 7 became more public. Up until then the vote count was relatively close with a difference of 300 votes as of yesterday. Even though tHe distance in votes was increasing in Ilana's favor it was minimal 30 or 40 votes with each progressive bulletin. When number 7 was made public the different feeling in the air was palpable. An Almost 1,200 vote lead and a drop from to 39% to 36% for the PRSC and just about everybody could read the handwriting on the wall.

Apparently there is not going to be anything happening at JCE. At least not now. I drove by at about 6:00 and although there were plenty of military and police, there was no crowd gathered.

I am watching right now a television commercial Ilana Neumann made entitled "Gracias Mi Sos?a" thanking the pueblo for their support and her victory.

So now we wait, up until now things have been relatively quiet, but after bulletin 7, things have changed. The celebrations have begun. The places to watch will be Maranatha, La Villa Liberaci?n and La Piedra. The local station Costa Norte TV, channel 3 on Delancer cable has the most local coverage. And I'm already hearing conflicting reports about some of the local occurrences.

From my balcony I can hear celebratory sounds coming from the main road near Los Charamicos. Let's hope it stays celebratory.
 
Oct 11, 2010
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I just stepped back into my house and saw the end of what was apparently a recorded message from Willfedo Olivences mentioning something about a manual recount. I just saw a few seconds of the message and couldn't hear it too well. It was on channel 3 so it will be shown again.
 
Oct 11, 2010
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On Costa Norte TV, channel 3 De Lancer cable, they will be showing the message recorded by Wilfredo on the program "Llego la Hora. Wilfredo will also be a guest on the show. It started at 8:00.

Sorry for the late notification, I just saw it myself
 
Aug 21, 2007
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It was very quiet today in my neck of the woods....just a couple blocks beyond la Junta. I don't see the unrest NY-DR is talking about and my families, the poor whose children attend my classes are not complaining. Perhaps the atmosphere in Los Charimicos is different, but here near the Junta, all is tranquil.

Lindsey
 

chic

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Nov 20, 2013
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It's been relatively quiet here so far, even this morning more quiet than usual. I think one of the reasons was that the vote count was so close. But that started to change as the news of bulletin 7 became more public. Up until then the vote count was relatively close with a difference of 300 votes as of yesterday. Even though tHe distance in votes was increasing in Ilana's favor it was minimal 30 or 40 votes with each progressive bulletin. When number 7 was made public the different feeling in the air was palpable. An Almost 1,200 vote lead and a drop from to 39% to 36% for the PRSC and just about everybody could read the handwriting on the wall.

Apparently there is not going to be anything happening at JCE. At least not now. I drove by at about 6:00 and although there were plenty of military and police, there was no crowd gathered.

I am watching right now a television commercial Ilana Neumann made entitled "Gracias Mi Sos?a" thanking the pueblo for their support and her victory.

So now we wait, up until now things have been relatively quiet, but after bulletin 7, things have changed. The celebrations have begun. The places to watch will be Maranatha, La Villa Liberaci?n and La Piedra. The local station Costa Norte TV, channel 3 on Delancer cable has the most local coverage. And I'm already hearing conflicting reports about some of the local occurrences.

From my balcony I can hear celebratory sounds coming from the main road near Los Charamicos. Let's hope it stays celebratory.

why not join in the festivities....at a winning celebration party all are invited...
 
Oct 11, 2010
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It was very quiet today in my neck of the woods....just a couple blocks beyond la Junta. I don't see the unrest NY-DR is talking about and my families, the poor whose children attend my classes are not complaining. Perhaps the atmosphere in Los Charimicos is different, but here near the Junta, all is tranquil.

Lindsey

Lindsey, perhaps you didn't read my post entirely. I pointed out that as of 6:00PM when I was at JCE there was no crowd at all and just the military and police who have been there in one capacity or another since Saturday night after the elections closed. And although I haven't been there since 6:00pm, I know the police and military will continue to be there 24/7. I never stated that the atmosphere there today was anything but tranquil.

As far as the poor families whose children attend your classes and are not complaining. My educated guess would be they are not exactly the demographic that makes up the majority of Wilfredo Olivences' constituency. I would tend to believe they are quite content with the election results as they stand. I may be wrong.

And lastly, yes, the atmosphere in Los Charamicos is very different. The "unrest" that you mention I can only assume alludes to my mention of the two white Toyota jeeps with armed passengers driving around Los Charamicos this afternoon and the streets filling up with some, let's just say, questionable individuals.

Los Charamicos and El Batey are worlds apart. If there is going to be any unrest it will definitely start in Charamicos. The street in El Batey where the JCE is located will remain tranquil as long as no crowds start to gather. You yourself commented in an earlier post about the unrest in that area when the crowds were gathered there the other day with issues regarding the vote count.

If there was any announcement made unfavorable to one of the candidates the tranquility would disappear very quickly, you've seen it first hand. And since there will be no more announcements tonight from the JCE it will be a quiet night.

However, Wilfredo Olivences appeared on the television program "Llego la Hora" on channel three at about 8:35 and asked that the JCE do a TOTAL manual recount of all the votes pertaining to the race for mayor. And although he asked for calm, and that people don't go out into the street looking for trouble, he also alleged that there were certain issues with the original vote count.

So, now we wait and see. I don't know if this good or bad, but by the tone of his rhetoric it was obviously not conciliatory.

The show goes on.
 
Oct 11, 2010
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Results as of Bulletin 8

100% of the votes counted

Partido de la Liberaci?n Dominicana y Aliados (PLD) - 10,119 Votes - 42.00%

Partido Reformista Social Cristiana (PRSC) - 8,931 Votes - 37.07%

Partido Revolucionario Moderno y Aliados (PRM) - 4,921 Votes - 20.43%

Ilana's lead lengthened slightly to 1,188 Votes.

A total of 24,800 Votes were cast.

Of that total 705 votes were considered invalid.
 
Oct 11, 2010
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The recount . . .

Wilfredo "El Chamo" Olivences appeard on the television program "Llego La Hora" last night at about 8:30 with his political associates, candidates for regidor and supporters. He was introduced and stood in front of a podium with a huge screen caption of --" W - Alcalde".

He went into what can only be described as a bizzarre 20 minute discourse and asked the JCE to do a manual recount of the votes "one-by-one" to prove who is the real winner. He also made several accusations and allegations in an almost unintelligible tirade with a zombie-like cadence while staring off into the distance. It was strange to watch.

He was interrupted several times by the program's host who asked, "if after the recount the results remained the same, would he accept their recount". The first time he was asked he again went into this strange rant that had nothing to do with the question. Again the host interrupted this rant to pose the same question, after some more strange declarations, he said he would accept the "new" final count and then continued his rant until the program's closing music began to play and the show just ended.

It was an almost surreal experience watching that last night.

Apparently his supporters have been appeased. I spoke to many today who expressed content in the fact that there will be a recount

Supposedly the recount began early this morning and will continue tomorrow. Hopefully this doesn't drag on through the weekend.

El Chamo is grasping at straws. He has the same chance of coming out ahead in this recount as sinking that same hole-in-one and simultaneously being hit by that same meteorite and lightning bolt that I alluded to in an earlier post.
 

Irie

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Aug 15, 2014
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Sorry I missed the 'interview' last night. Sounds bizarre indeed.

He was out walking on PC this afternoon by his old place.......alone. It was sort of strange after months of having at least a few surrounding him wherever he went.
 
Oct 11, 2010
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Why would you think there will be a recount? Just because he asked for it?

He went through the legal process of petitioning the JCE for a recount, which is his legal right, before he appeared on television last night.

The recount started this morning.