US embassy cable - 04SANTODOMINGO356

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 000356 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR WHA, DS, WHA/EX, WHA/CAR; DEPT PASS USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC, PGOV, DR 
SUBJECT: PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATIONS IN SANTO DOMINGO 
 
 
1.  Peaceful demonstrations were staged today in Santo 
Domingo outside the hotel housing USTR-GODR negotiations on a 
free trade agreement and outside the National Congress.  Both 
were orderly and relatively limited in scope. 
 
2.  At the Jaragua Hotel, headquarters for the January 12-16 
opening round of the bilateral free trade agreement, about 50 
demonstrators protested briefly against the proposed 
agreement and more particularly against expected concessions 
in agriculture.  The demonstration occurred as scheduled and 
announced.  Speaking later that day to the American Chamber 
of Commerce in the same hotel Chief negotiator Regina Vargo 
acknowledged the protest event and stressed that U.S. 
negotiators are seeking to understand Dominican sensibilities 
on all aspects of the proposed agreement. 
 
3.  Outside the National Congress a peaceful gathering of 
several hundred members of civil society non-governmental 
organizations made speeches, waved banners and carried copies 
of the Constitution in a protest against a draft bill seeking 
changes in the electoral arrangements for the May 2004 
presidential elections.  Well known civic leaders led the 
gathering.  Congress was not in session, since a boycott by 
opposition legislators meant that no quorum was present. 
 
4.  These protests were relatively limited in attendance and 
in scope.  Labor organizations have called for a two-day 
strike on January 27 and 28 (following a national holiday on 
January 26).  There is a possibility of more vigorous protest 
country-wide on those dates.  Economic conditions continue to 
be difficult, although the country is not currently 
experiencing the wide-spread electricity blackouts that gave 
a further stimulus to last November's national strike. 
HERTELL