The forced closures of illegal exchange houses by the military authorities will continue, according to statements by President Hipolito Mejia and Armed Forces chief Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez. The President said that he would not allow these illegal outfits to “play with something that is so important for the country”. The aim is to force the dollar-peso rate back down to RD$30. It is reported that since the posted rate began to drop, there have been few or no dollars available for purchase. There has been mixed reaction to the government’s actions. The association of exchange agents ADOCAMBIO has welcomed the moves. Its president, Augusto Peignand, said that “many of these agencies are operating on the margins of the law, handling significant sums, evading taxes and providing opportunities for money laundering”. This, according to Peignand, creates distortions in the exchange market and is beyond the control of the monetary authorities. Jose Alfredo Rizek, president of the National Foundation for Justice and Institutionalism (FINJUS) expressed some reservations about the legality of the procedures, as reported in the Listin Diario. Marisol Vicens of the Young Entrepreneurs Association (ANJE) was critical of the policy, and called on the government to put a halt to the shutdowns. Yesterday the US dollar was being valued at between RD$37 to RD$38 by banks and exchange houses, though it is understood that none were actually available for purchase.