Riot police scramble as anticorruption protests spread

Sano Domingo.- Dozensof antiriot police have been stationed inthe streets near the National Palace since early morning previous to the announcedprotest by organizations which demand an end to corruption, as the world marks InternationalAnti-Corruption Day today Wednesday.

Diario Libre reports thatthe police have cordoned off Garcia, Delgado and Baez streets, and have blockedaccess to the State Works Supervisory Engineers Office (OISOE), where the suicideof a contractor uncovered a scandal on alleged embezzlement during the tenureof Miguel Pimentel Kareh.

The grassroots movementPoder Ciudadano (citizen power) on Tuesday announced 40 "humanchains" across the country, including around the National Palace, where ithas staged most of their protests despite being blocked by police from reachingthe OISOE building, except in just two occasions.

The protesters had managedto get by the police on Monday and Tuesday, despite that the demonstrationshave been schledueld for Wednesdays.

The protests began afterthe suicide of architect and OISOE contractor David Rodriguez uncovered thescandal, a tragedy which also revealed a "mafia" of loan sharks.