The government-intervened Listin Diario carries the headline this morning that the current nationwide strike will cost the country RD$3 billion. In his speech last night, President Mejia called the national protest “dangerous to the social peace of the country.” The chief executive called the strike leaders “clumsy” and “insensitive,” pointing out the little time remaining before the elections, tourism’s high season and the pending Caribbean Baseball Series scheduled to be held in Santo Domingo this Sunday. During the ten-minute address that delayed the telecast of the Licey-Gigantes baseball finals, the President criticized the demands of the organizers as being politically-motivated and totally unacceptable. The President did not offer any details on the RD$3-billion theoretical loss expected as a result of the two days of strike action. In his talk to the nation, President Mejia denied government responsibility for the economic crisis. “As is apparent, the economic crisis that affects us all does not have its origin in the disproportionate expansion of government spending, such as is recognized by international organizations. On the contrary, the government is one of the most affected, obliged to restraint government spending,” he told the nation. For the complete talk, see http://www.elnacional.com.do/(gdcv41jqof4f1545yt1pkhyg)/aspx/article.aspx?id=2798
According to the National Coordination of Popular Union and Transport Organizations, the President’s speech fell far short of fulfilling the expectations of the population and, therefore, they pressed on their call for the national strike. The strike organizers confirmed that the 48-hour protest is still expected to proceed, and at the same time they denounced that over 40 members of the movement have been hauled off to jail. The president of the CNTU (National Center of Unified Transport Workers), Ramon Perez Figuereo, called the arrests “an act of repression.” His statement included the chilling pronouncement that he was “not armed” and that all he carried on him was a pen and a cell phone, so that later nobody could say he was killed in “an exchange of fire.”