"Greatest corruption scandal in the Dominican Republic is happening right now.
International and local press remains silent.
After a mandate characterized by rampant estate spending, politicians getting lavish houses and cars, pensions of about USD$12,500 a month for top
party officials for four years of work while still having a thousand of dollars government job in another position (Minimum wage is a little over
$200), crazy salary hikes, blatant clientelism and tax evasion, millions and millions in government money to fund the official party's presidential
campaign, and many other things, the party ends and the people have to pay the bill.
The congress has approved a fiscal reform that basically screws the people, raising taxes in general and taxing basic food items, as well as small
internet purchases that were one of the few ways to circumvent the abusive local retailers (You'd have to pay double the online price + shipping for
basically anything).
This problem isn't solved by taxing, it's solved by making those responsible pay. Not a single politician has been put in jail or even tried, even
those for whom there is incontrovertible evidence of ghastly instances of fraud and corruption. Today the reform was approved by a government
controlled Congress in just 19 minutes with no room for debates. Dissenting congressmen were silenced and not given the opportunity to speak. A
student was killed during riots in the state university and it's believed to be the first of several deaths in the near future.
All because a central figure named Leonel Fernandez, until 84 days ago the President of 12 years, personally controls all of the State Powers:
Government, Congress and Supreme Court. He also controls most of the media, so even the fourth state is under his power. It's ironic since countries
like Canada gave him an award as Statesman of the Year and named him "the Oracle of Santo Domingo" all because he let a canadian-based gold mining
corporation named Barrick started raping the land and destroying the environment of the island."
I can't belive people aren't talking about this. I started looking into it and sure enough, not a whisper of it in the MSM.
I've emailed every news organization I can find and posted on every facebook timeline trying to get the MSM looking into this. I think it requires
international attention...
The media's silence on this is reminiscent of their silence on the Spanish riots several weeks back. Once a few more countries joint in the dubious
honors of unreported rioting, we'll only have to wait for the cable signal to get hacked, and for the people to be shown the true news in one
glorious reel of violent events. Unfortunately, those in the US will change the channel.