US Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs John Taylor paid a short visit to the Dominican Republic, meeting with government economic officials, political leaders and President Mejia. The meeting with President Mejia was supposed to be a breakfast, but because of the flooding in the Cibao, it was rescheduled for later in the day. Most of the newspapers saw Taylor’s visit as a positive indication that the IMF standby agreement would proceed smoothly. Finance Minister Rafael Calderon called the official’s presence a clear sign that the United States would maintain its position and assist the Dominican authorities in resolving the economic problems it is facing. According to El Caribe, Taylor’s visit delivered a clear message to the government that the US was worried about the economic crisis affecting the DR and gave importance to a swift signing with the IMF. According to El Caribe, when Taylor met with reporters, he expressed his assuredness the Dominican government would sign the IMF accord before the end of the year. Taylor said that while the so-called dollarization of the Dominican economy was not one of the topics discussed with the local authorities, the US would support the idea if the Dominican government were to approve the plan.