Armed forces proceeded to evict 70 families that refused to accept relocation offers by the Grupo Punta Cana in the La Altagracia province. The Punta Cana tourism entrepreneurs battled the eviction of the squatters for more than 20 years. They had received eviction judgments but these had not been able to be implemented by the military and police until now. The eviction was finally carried out on Friday and Saturday. The company offered squatters to relocate to a nearby barrio, where streets, electricity poles, and potable water facilities near Punta Cana. The church and school of the town would not be relocated. The families are being provided with property titles to the new lots where homes would be built. The company also contributed 225 workers to help with the construction. Press reports say that about 100 families accepted the offers, while about 70 families held on. The Grupo Punta Cana said that these families represent commercial interests of others. The evicted families had the support of the Bishop of Higuey, the governor of the province and the El Seibo senator who said that the PLD government should not have taken the action at the end of its term. Those against the eviction burned tires in Higuey, the capital of the La Altagracia province in protest. Several businesses in Higuey also closed down in support of the evicted.
