The South is on fire

As of this writing, the 6 De Noviembre highway and the old San Cristobal highway are on fire with vehicle, tire burnings, shootings and complete chaos. The entire southern stretch all the way to the border with Haiti is paralized. The Quita Sue?o area near the Haina port has the police now firing tear gas and rubber bullets all over. Hundreds have been arrested, including concho leader Juan Hubieres, who has been named as coresponsible for the riots.

This predictable state of lawlessness is the responsibility of the government, if not at least planned by the PPH. The only reason these PRD syndicates are fighting each other over bus routes, is due to the politically motivated giveaways of new buses, which now exceed the number of passengers.

The Fenatrano group which got nearly 400 buses from inept Mayor Johnny Ventura, who spent more time in his musical business than running the city, practicly gave away these buses without proper planning for passenger availability. Hippo and his Father To?o gave hundreds to Antonio Marte, who opposes Hubieres and now both are killing each other for control.

Just about now, bus driver Anibal Navarro was burned to death tied to his seat in his own bus #114 and his father in critical condition. His body is not recognizable. The bus is totally burned. Hundreds of buses have been burned or destroyed in the last two days. Both groups are blaming each other for todays burnings. 3 have died in the last days.

The inept Father To?o is now asking the armed forces to take over the route. If the government doesnt take over a war will erupt in the area. This struggle extends to the oriental zone. The drivers are taking their clothes off and showing their genitals to the police and laughing at them as the police tries to negotiate the removal of the blockades. There is no law. Only one tow truck is removing buses blocking the highways.

Driving to San Cristobal, Haina, Bani and southern towns could be qualified as "at your own risk of harm and possibly death". Stay away from Herrera and Isabel Aguiar Avenue and the intersection called Pintura.

TW

Another death just now

Reverend Rodriguez, a Lutheran priest was just shot in the head by police in a shootout between bus syndicates and the police at the Pintura intersection on Isabel Aguiar Avenue.

Rocks are also being hurled from the hills around the highway. I also hear Villa Altagracia has problems in the Duarte highway, where cars are being hit by rocks.

TW

Right on target

Just as I reported early yesterday morning, every event has been confirmed by the press today, including DR 1 on their daily news, and it took the afternoon paper El Nacional to come up with my Villa Altagracia report just today.

As a follow up, it is not just in those places that things are hot. Towns like Licey Al Medio, Navarrete, Barahona, and almost every barrio in Santo Domingo is having mini riots. Today I was able to verify that FENATRANO members were paying up to $600 to motoconchistas who were willing to transport tires and gasoline for tire burning in areas such as Libertador, Buenos Aires, Las Palmas and Las Caobas.

You could see motoconchistas carrying two passengers with one carrying two tires in the back, followed by another one with gasoline. The rioters were wearing hoods and others wigs. The police was able to keep them at bay with tear gas and rubber bullets. A few real shots were fired. Some noticeable trends were throwing bananas and rotten avocadoes inside the tires for a stenchier smell. Something not reported anywhere so far is the armed robbery at Isabel Aguiar Avenue of the largest pawn shop in the area, where as many as five assailants with caliber 12 weapons, an M16 and other firepower overwhelmed the shop. The guards were eating lunch and the robbers took advantage of the fact that almost the entire police was chasing bus rioters at San Cristobals highway. This is a new technique used by robbers. They know in advance when major events require large police contingents and use this a smokescreen to conduct their assaults. There was nothing left at the pawshop except a few cheap chains and gadgets. They took everything. People in the area were worried they had lost their pawned items forever, since chances are the police are not going to catch anybody. People were even commenting that policemen were involved, which would be nothing new.

Hippo is trying hard to curtail these protests with the reduction of gasoline prices tomorrow. But as I stated last month, this is only the beginning of stronger rioting everywhere. This Sunday, Hippo is going to attack his PRD opponents fiercely in a reelection rally at the Olympic Stadium where he claims he is taking no prisoners. This is going to widen the rift in his party. If his planned attacks are not pulled out in time, the big boys, like Hatuey are going to let his goons out and it will be an all out war. Hippo is using two big-mouth hatchet men to spit out venom like vipers to the other PRD candidates, specially Milagros Ortiz Bosch and Fello. The hatchet men are Dr. Soldevilla, aka "I have nothing to lose man" and the Colonel Polonio Pierret, who has been promised a juicy retirement as general if he attacks Milagros with racial complaints about keeping him out of the pre-candidate meetings because he is pitch-black, ugly and stupid.The FENATRANO union is not going to stop if the effort by Hippo to swing his support to Hubieres enemies comes true. Hippo is keeping their spirits alive by taking so many syndicate members jailed.Then next week, Candelier is going to make many people unhappy when he begins to crack down on drivers who dont have the new license plates. His AMET may run into a few pulled guns when they try to stop some tough generals who may not be very willing to take down their blue plates with stars.

This is going to be non-stop action from now till September 30 and beyond.

TW