For those who plan to visit DR during the Pan Am Games be aware that if you dislike the scenes of militarized personnel along highways, roads and just about everywhere, you will have an eyesore at your disposal along with terrible traffic jams.
Althought it has not been published, the security group handling the games in conjunction with all the armed forces plan to maintain "Plan Centella" at its maximum, with roadblocks almost everywhere, stopping traffic for checkpoints. It has already started with trials this week. But they will intensify. And what the government did not anticipate with these games were the security complications these games would bring. Here are the big threats facing an inexperienced force:
1)Fidel Castro has warned against potential threats against his Cuban athletes. But what is worse is the potential scandal of Dominican "agents" already working on trying to help "defect" Cuban baseball players, boxers and other talented world class athletes. In addition, Cuban-Americans from Miami will come to the games for protests and to jeer the Cuban teams. It would not be unthinkable an attempt against the Cubans.
2)Potential kidnappings of athletes and an increased activity in this area due to the concentration of security around the games, neglecting other national problems. Robberies, pickpocketing, and muggings will increase as security worries about major crimes. Already the State Department has warned about this.
3)Potential for terrorism tied up to the decision by Hippo to get involved with the war in Iraq using our soldiers. It is not secret that our forces are looking for infiltrated terrorists in DR, who may have come for the games. We have hundreds of Middle Easterners with student and visitor visas already in DR and more coming thru Haiti.
4)The Colombian Cartel must be happy with these games in DR. They have a chance to break thru the concentration of security in one or two cities, while our beach and sea fronts will be cared for by a handful of useless boats by our navy.
5)The potential for refugee boat trips to Puerto Rico will increase for the same reasons.
6)Car thefts and smuggling will be another area to watch, specially around the frontier with Haiti. The recent trip to the border by army chief Zorrilla, the PPH man in uniform, gives you an idea of the sensitivity of this area. Haitian defectors and enemies of Aristide will be a headache trying to use the situation to their favor.
7)Expect an increasing amount of refugees from China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq and other exotic lands in extreme poverty and polical upheaval trying to cross the border in an attempt to get false documentation(very easy to get in Dr) to travel to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba(only 90 miles away from Miami), the Bahamas, etc. in an effort to get into the U.S.A. Terrorists may be infiltrated in this.
8)The way for our military to fight this is thru roadblocking, surprise raids in popular barrios, physical presence everywhere, toll road searches, caba?a and motel raids, club raids, phone taps, etc. Our beaches will have infiltrated personnel looking for suspects.
9)Venezuelans in DR may be planning activities at the games to protest Hugo Chavez using the ever seen yellow, blue and red colors. Chavez has lots of sympathizers in DR(Dominicans). They may clash at the games.
10)Parking and ticket scalping will be the order of the day. Althought tickets to the games will almost be given away, tourists will be scalped because of their lack of knowledge of this. Taxi cabs will make their day with tourists. Self appointed parking attendantsd are already securing and marking their spots to pick pocket you with the well known "I will take care of your car". While you are in the games your car batteries will be exchanged with beat up jobs. Take no hub-caps to the games and if you can remove your radio...do it!!
11)Expect popular organizations to try to use the games to initiate protests against the government around the games or using the lack of vigilantes in towns to start tire burnings.
12)Money scams will be the order of the day. There are millions in counterfeit $2000,$1000,$500 and $100 pesos bills floating and being created by gangs with green light to do whatever they want. Unless you exchange at a bank you may end up crying.
This is only the beginning of the long hot summer, courtesy of the Pan Am Games and Hippo the Burro Man and his great ideas. I have also heard that the most experienced personnel in security is being reserved for events where the rich will attend, like the equestrians, and high society sports, leaving the chopo sports where larger crowds will be with the least experienced.
TW
Althought it has not been published, the security group handling the games in conjunction with all the armed forces plan to maintain "Plan Centella" at its maximum, with roadblocks almost everywhere, stopping traffic for checkpoints. It has already started with trials this week. But they will intensify. And what the government did not anticipate with these games were the security complications these games would bring. Here are the big threats facing an inexperienced force:
1)Fidel Castro has warned against potential threats against his Cuban athletes. But what is worse is the potential scandal of Dominican "agents" already working on trying to help "defect" Cuban baseball players, boxers and other talented world class athletes. In addition, Cuban-Americans from Miami will come to the games for protests and to jeer the Cuban teams. It would not be unthinkable an attempt against the Cubans.
2)Potential kidnappings of athletes and an increased activity in this area due to the concentration of security around the games, neglecting other national problems. Robberies, pickpocketing, and muggings will increase as security worries about major crimes. Already the State Department has warned about this.
3)Potential for terrorism tied up to the decision by Hippo to get involved with the war in Iraq using our soldiers. It is not secret that our forces are looking for infiltrated terrorists in DR, who may have come for the games. We have hundreds of Middle Easterners with student and visitor visas already in DR and more coming thru Haiti.
4)The Colombian Cartel must be happy with these games in DR. They have a chance to break thru the concentration of security in one or two cities, while our beach and sea fronts will be cared for by a handful of useless boats by our navy.
5)The potential for refugee boat trips to Puerto Rico will increase for the same reasons.
6)Car thefts and smuggling will be another area to watch, specially around the frontier with Haiti. The recent trip to the border by army chief Zorrilla, the PPH man in uniform, gives you an idea of the sensitivity of this area. Haitian defectors and enemies of Aristide will be a headache trying to use the situation to their favor.
7)Expect an increasing amount of refugees from China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq and other exotic lands in extreme poverty and polical upheaval trying to cross the border in an attempt to get false documentation(very easy to get in Dr) to travel to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba(only 90 miles away from Miami), the Bahamas, etc. in an effort to get into the U.S.A. Terrorists may be infiltrated in this.
8)The way for our military to fight this is thru roadblocking, surprise raids in popular barrios, physical presence everywhere, toll road searches, caba?a and motel raids, club raids, phone taps, etc. Our beaches will have infiltrated personnel looking for suspects.
9)Venezuelans in DR may be planning activities at the games to protest Hugo Chavez using the ever seen yellow, blue and red colors. Chavez has lots of sympathizers in DR(Dominicans). They may clash at the games.
10)Parking and ticket scalping will be the order of the day. Althought tickets to the games will almost be given away, tourists will be scalped because of their lack of knowledge of this. Taxi cabs will make their day with tourists. Self appointed parking attendantsd are already securing and marking their spots to pick pocket you with the well known "I will take care of your car". While you are in the games your car batteries will be exchanged with beat up jobs. Take no hub-caps to the games and if you can remove your radio...do it!!
11)Expect popular organizations to try to use the games to initiate protests against the government around the games or using the lack of vigilantes in towns to start tire burnings.
12)Money scams will be the order of the day. There are millions in counterfeit $2000,$1000,$500 and $100 pesos bills floating and being created by gangs with green light to do whatever they want. Unless you exchange at a bank you may end up crying.
This is only the beginning of the long hot summer, courtesy of the Pan Am Games and Hippo the Burro Man and his great ideas. I have also heard that the most experienced personnel in security is being reserved for events where the rich will attend, like the equestrians, and high society sports, leaving the chopo sports where larger crowds will be with the least experienced.
TW
