On Sunday, 18 November hundreds of young protesters assembled at the Plaza de la Bandera near the Ministry of Armed Forces, the Central Electoral Board, Center for Export & Investment, the Constitutional Court and other government offices in Santo Domingo. The young people took candles and posters in protest against the so-called “paquetazo” or taxation increase that was passed this month. Most consumer goods will be affected by a 2% increase in the ITBIS tax, along with other increases that are calculated to provide RD$46 billion in addition for the Medina government. The Medina government has inherited a RD$187 billion deficit. The 2012 Budget had authorized a RD$22 billion deficit to the government. Listin Diario reports that contingents of Police and Metropolitan Transit Authority agents at the scene were notably unarmed. As reported, AMET had to work extra hard because passing vehicles slowed down to support the protestors by honking causing bottlenecks at this major intersection with 27 de Febrero and Luperon avenues.
The young protestors have called for another meeting at Avenida Venezuela and on Wednesday 21 November for another at Parque La Lira (Av. Abraham Lincoln and Lope de Vega). On Wednesday 21 November they will stage a symbolic trial of former President Leonel Fernandez.
On Sunday in Hoy, journalist Juan Bolivar Diaz wrote that former President Leonel Fernandez from 21 May to 16 August 2012 was spending to improve his positioning for the 2016 election, making the point that 60% of the deficit was accumulated during the transition months after the election was decided. The election won by ruling party’s Danilo Medina took place on 20 May 2012. The budgetary difference now needs to be met by the RD$46 billion taxation increase.
At the closing of the protest, the demonstrators appealed to the international press to take the story abroad “because all the media in the DR have sold out,” as reported in Listin Diario. One young man, identifying himself as “Juan de los Palotes,” told Listin Diario reporters: “The motivation for what is happening here is clear. Dominican youth is outraged, and has finally opened its eyes and seen that what politicians do here is to wring society dry. They do not work for the people. Instead they deny the people the right to education and social security for the poor. Our country deserves a better deal.”
www.listin.com.do/la-republica/2012/11/18/255567/Jovenes-se-manifiestan-en-la-Plaza-de-la-Bandera-anoche-en-rechazo-a-la
http://hoy.com.do/tema-de-hoy/2012/11/17/455175/Leonel-arroja-lena-al-fuego-nacional