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Dominican citizens strike over food and medicines' high prices. | Photo: Twitter/ @deisy_telesur​

Santo Domingo, April 25 (RHC)-- The Dominican Defense Ministry has deployed of all its operational military units to guarantee “citizen security” amid a strike called by social organizations in 14 provinces of the Cibao region.

The strike began at 6:00 and will last until Tuesday at the same time.  Its participants request a reduction in the prices of fuels, food, and medicines.   They also demand the government improve education services and ban the construction of not-environmentally-friendly hydroelectric dams in the  villages of Las Placetas, San Jose de las Matas and Santiago Rodriguez.

Shops, schools, and passenger transport were not functioning in the Santiago, Salcedo, San Francisco de Macoris, and Moca provinces, where there was a strong military and Police deployment.

Several popular organizations also denounced that the Police arrested many of their leaders. Jose Mercado, a spokesperson for the coalition of popular organizations in San Francisco de Macoris province, described these measures as a provocation by the authorities.

"There is no need for the government to respond to a call for a peaceful strike, which the population has right to organize, with a military contingent and incarcerations that frighten the population and makes the country look like it is at war," citizen Raquel Rivera stressed.

"The only explanation for this deployment is the government’s limited capacity to respond to the great problems and needs of the population.  If they had addressed these problems, we would not have even had to call a strike," she said.