Traditional saber-rattling surfaces in these elections

Santo Domingo.- Yesterday’s order for the military and police to report to their commanders reveals a latent fear from Dominican Republic’s past regimes during elections.

The Armed Forces’ traditional announcement that it’s “a guarantor of the democratic process and of the Constitution” also resurfaced yesterday, in which y ratified his a-political and “urged” its members to abstain from taking part in meetings with affiliated groups.

The order comes in the heels of ex president and opposition PRD party presidential candidate Hipólito Mejia’s allegation that the military persecute his supporters, a denunciation the ex generals and ex chiefs of Police Pedro de Jesus Candelier and Jaime Marte Martinez support.

Last week Candelier threatened that he and his men will force the respect of the popular will and democracy “exploding whoever needs to be exploded.”

The Armed Forces Ministry’s response came swiftly in a statement, “guaranteeing that the voting will be carried out peacefully and with the support of 55,000 soldiers ready to act.”

Armed Forces minister Joaquin Virgilio Perez and Police chief Jose Polanco refuted Candelier’s and Marte’s allegations Monday that the government blackmails and intimidates its supporters in the Armed Forces and Police, to prevent Mejia’s win.

Soldiers, police “to barracks”

Starting 6am Friday Police agents and the military will be barracked throughout the presidential elections process which concludes 6pm Sunday, and could be assigned to patrols this weekend.

Polanco said the agents will report to their commanding officer who’ll issue orders as to where they’ll be assigned.