‘No Santo Domingo Coup Danger’

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31277, 25 January 1967, Page 13

‘No Santo Domingo Coup Danger’

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright)

SANTO DOMINGO, January 24.

President Joaquin Balaguer has released a group of left-wingers arrested in the last 48 hours and declared there is no danger of a coup in the Dominican Republic.

He said in a statement there was an atmosphere of “tranquility and order” in the country in spite of rumours of a plot against his Government.

Earlier, Dr. Balaguer told reporters that “some elements” in the Armed Forces were unhappy with his administration but they were

ian insignificant minority. Rumours of a coup spread here after a television report of a plot against the Government, a wave of arrests of Left-wingers and the appearance of special police on the streets.

The national police chief, General Luis Tejeda Alvarez, denied reports that their arrests were linked with a plot against the Balaguer Government.

But he said the police were investigating the Leftists for “possible subversion on a national scale.” He declined to elaborate. President Balaguer was elected last June after a long period of turmoil which started with a coup in April 1965, and developed into a civil war in which 2850 people lost their lives.