President Leonel Fernandez told reporters that drugs and weapons must be eliminated from the jails and that he was going to start a program to build new jails that would provide better facilities for prisoners. As reported in the El Caribe, the President ordered several of those involved in the Higuey tragedy to be transferred to other units. President Fernandez confirmed that he had received a US$300 million offer from Spanish investors to build and administer new prison facilities around the country. Over 130 people died in the jailhouse fire that was started when two rival gangs were disputing the control of the Higuey jail. The jail, originally designed to hold 80 prisoners, had over 250 inmates at the time of the tragedy.