Santo Domingo.- With supporters and detractors evenly spread, the country braces for today’s nationwide strike of 24 hours called by leftist organizations, unions, and social, barrio and professionals groups, which has prompted the National Police and the Armed Forces to order all personnel to report to duty on Saturday.

Among the demands its promoters listed Sunday figure the repeal of the recently passed “tax package,” the reduction in the price of medicines, fuels and basic staples; an end to “unrelenting blackouts,” an increase in salaries and the allocation of 4% of the GDP to education.

The barrio group Falpo called on citizens to support the strike and remain calm to the “provocations and machinations” they affirm could come from “intolerant” sectors, to guarantee a successful protest.

Falpo national coordinator Milcíades Geraldo said the call to strike has obtained the most wide spread support of any national protest movement in the last few years.

Social Forum

“The strike is unstoppable and there’s no reverse gear. Everything is ready around the national territory for the people to forcefully expresses their rejection to the actions of the Government headed by president Leonel Fernandez,” said Alternative Social Forum spokesman Jesus Adón, one of the organizations behind the walkout that began 6 a.m. today and slated to conclude at the same hour Tuesday.

Speaking in Independencia park together with National Human Rights Commission  president Manuel Maria Mercedes, and other representatives of grass roots organizations which support the protest, Adón said the participant groups are convinced their “plebiscite” will send a clear message to president Fernandez that his actions stoke the disgust of Dominican society.