Big business slams assault on Coca-Cola’s Dominican affiliate

Santo Domingo Santo Domingo.- The National Business Council (Conep) on Wednesday condemned the vandalism against Coca-Cola’s local affiliate by a mob which broke into its facilities, an action it calls said "an assault against Dominican Republic’s good business climate, private investment confidence and legal security."

It said a mob of around 50 people harassed and assaulted employees and trespassed the facilities of the company Bepensa Dominicana SA, despite that “the authorities have acknowledged that these actions have been a deliberate process and devoid of all legitimacy.”

"We believe that if the authorities fail to confront this type of situation and exemplarily punished, apart from generating significant economic losses, will constitute a serious obstacle to the development of the country’s productive sectors, which strive to promote growth and diversify the Dominican economy,” the Conep said in a statement.

The business organization calls on the authorities and the judiciary to preserve the right to private property, the rule of law and legal security and warned that those responsible for violating the law should face the maximum penalty.