Impunity sparks more protests in major cities

San Francisco DM, Dominican Republic.- Several civil society groups on Monday reiterated their call for a 48 hour shutdown Tuesday and Wednesday, to protest corruption and impunity, in the heels of separate acquittals for San Juan senator Felix Bautista and San Francisco mayor Felix Rodriguez.

Similar protests have also been announced for the cities of Navarrete, Santiago province, and Santo Domingo.

The organizers of the protest –the latest during the last few weeks- demand the resignation of Rodriguez, who had been charged with embezzling more than RD$400.0 million.

Students, farmers, unionists, religious, business and community leaders announced the start of the 48 hour strike at 6am Tuesday, will continue Wednesday, to conclude Thursday morning.

They call on citizens to take part peacefully, and warned that officials who steal taxpayers’ money reportedly aim to use thugs to disrupt their protest, "as they did with the car bomb of city hall, which was the work of the predators themselves."

"The strike is peaceful and any attempt by the corrupt to discredit it must be punished as it should,” the protesters said.

They called on the police not to repress those who demand punishment for the thieves of public funds.