Ballot boxes torched, hunger strike as post-election turmoil festers

Santo Domingo.- The Central Electoral Board (JCE) on Fridayconfirmed reports that an undetermined number of ballot boxes was burned in an area of its offices in SantoDomingo Norte.

The incident forms part of the post-election disputes betweenthe candidates of the Dominican Republic’s ruling party (PLD) and the oppositionPRD party in that jurisdiction.

Several ballot boxesand valises have been burned since dawn Friday. The incident doesn’t change thevote total, because the affidavits from the polling stations had already been deliveredto the JCE.

The PLD has obtained 68,622 votes, or 52.2% in Santo DomingoNorte while the PRD has 32,553 votes, for 24.75%, with 8 polling stations yetto be counted.

In Santo Domingo Norte incumbent mayor Francisco Fernandez competeswith PRD candidate Rene Polanco for the post.

In protest, Fernandez on Friday announced he would go on a hungerstrike.