The last days as President for Dr. Joaquín Balaguer were characterized by the many openings of newly constructed buildings and other government works, and by protests from those who were not given apartments in the new buildings. On 15 August, hundreds of people who claimed to have been promised apartments by the government, plus employees of the National Palace protested in and outside the building, as most members of the government were cleaning out their offices and preparing to leave the government.
Security had to be increased in and outside the Palace. In addition to the lower level employees of the Palace, who claimed that they had been “cheated” out of an apartment, legislators and other middle ranking members of Dr. Balaguer’s Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC) also asked to be received by the Presidnent in order to request an apartment. The majority of those asking for the apartments were turned down.