Dominican Republic’s ‘owners’ again unleash traffic chaos

Santo Domingo.- Groups of drivers of passenger vehicles have blocked the 27 de Febrero Av. sending the major thoroughfare into chaos, backing up traffic east and west of the Olympic Center.

The drivers say traffic cops (AMET) prevent their buses from using the underpasses.

AMET director Juan Gerónimo Brown warned that any vehicle that blocks traffic will be detained, and that his agents opened an inner street at the Olympic Center as an alternate traffic route.

Pedro Gómez, one of the drivers, said they blocked all traffic because AMET prevents the buses from using the tunnels on the major avenue.

The chaos is the most recent demonstration of the lawlessness in the country’s thoroughfares, especially the blocking of traffic by what the local media calls ‘the country’s owners’ that include truckers’ unions.