Political claques ruin Beltway ribbon cutting

Santo Domingo.- As opposing claques brought by politicians chanted slogans, president Danilo Medina on Monday inaugurated the second span of the Santo Domingo Beltway, named after the late president Juan Bosch.

The16-kilometer stretch links the Duarte highway with the city of Villa Mella, and joins the first span which starts in Haina and was built by the contractor Rizek, Moll and Conidec.

When the 3rd phase is concluded, the 4-lane Beltway designed for a speed of 100 kilometers per hour will link the country’s four major highways: Sanchez and 6 de Noviembre in the south; Duarte in the north; the Monte Plata road in the northeast and Las Americas in the east.

Politicking marred the opening ceremony when busloads of claques brought by Santo Domingo North candidates for mayor incumbent Francisco Fernandez and deputy Rene Polanco competed to see which one yelled louder in support of their leader .

Upon arrival Fernandez was greeted with boos from the many of the members of the ruling PLD party who shouted "out, out," but were later confronted by the members of the pro-government PRD party motorcade which accompanied the mayor.