SWAT agents surround Electoral Court in opposition party showdown

Santo Domingo.- While the judges inside the Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE) prepare to hear the motion against expulsions filed by a faction of the opposition PRD party Friday morning, Police Swat agents cordoned off the entire block which houses the court and other government offices in the Centro de los Heroes (La Feria).

The faction headed by PRD president Miguel Vargas seeks to win the court battle and void the measures adopted by the party’s Political Committee headed by former candidate Hipolito Mejia on June 1.

Police general said 200 police agents have been stationed in the area to prevent violent confrontations between members of the two factions, as occurred in the previous hearing.

Some of Vargas’ closest supporters, including Julio Mariñez , Rafael -Fiquito-Vasquez, and the dputy Ruddy Gonzalez among other leaders are already in the courtroom.

Lawyers of both parties await the judges’ arrival, but as of 9:30am none of the leaders of Mejia’s group had arrived in court.