To many supporters and opponents of the lighthouse alike, that Mr. Balaguer's long-cherished project should be so bitterly opposed is not surprising given a longstanding and widely held belief, known as a fucu, or curse, that anything bearing the name Columbus will bring enduring trouble.
Trujillo is said to have awarded the Order of Columbus to over-ambitious rivals soon to be pushed aside. The superstition was reinforced by an accident at the ground-breaking of the lighthouse site in 1948 when a boulder fell on the car of the presiding officials, though no one was hurt.
"The fucu is part of our folklore much like merengue," said Mr. Morales, head of the Fifth Centennial celebrations. "It is something to do, something to talk about, but I don't believe it. This lighthouse is the symbol of the man who has revolutionized history more than anyone since Jesus Christ, and once they get over their orgy of criticisms, everyone will love it."