SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- (AP) -- Soldiers and police
             surrounded the National Congress building Tuesday and student protests erupted
             as tension grew over a disputed election.

             A military helicopter circled overhead. Troops cordoned off the Congress building
             Tuesday morning but later allowed legislators to enter.

             Angry protesters gathered for the fourth day in a row outside the headquarters of
             the Dominican Municipal League, some of them calling President Leonel
             Fernandez a ``fledgling dictator.'' The country's three political parties are fighting
             over how to elect a new secretary general for the league, which controls a budget
             of about $108 million -- nearly 4 percent of the national budget.

             At the University of Santo Domingo, students burned tires to protest an alliance
             between the Social Christian Reform Party of former President Joaquin Balaguer
             and the smaller Dominican Liberation Party of Fernandez. The deal leaves out the
             opposition Dominican Revolutionary Party.

             ``The country is on the road to confrontation,'' Monsignor Agripino Nuñez
             Collado said after the Roman Catholic Church abandoned efforts Monday night to
             broker a compromise among the three parties.

             Delegates from the municipalities elect the secretary general. Unable to agree, the
             parties have set up two separate elections.

             The parties of Fernandez and Balaguer held their election Tuesday in the town of
             San Pedro de Macoris, 50 miles east of the capital.

             Members of the Dominican Revolutionary Party planned to vote at the league's
             headquarters in Santo Domingo. But police have blocked entry to the
             headquarters since the weekend, so they may hold their election in a hotel.

             Santo Domingo has been tense for days. On Saturday, Mayor Johnny Ventura, a
             merengue star, had his shirt torn in a confrontation outside the league headquarters.

             On Monday, Senate President Ramon Alburquerque scuffled with National Police
             Chief Jose Anibal Sanz outside the league headquarters. In that incident, Sen.
             Andres Bautista was hit by about a dozen shotgun pellets that lightly wounded him
             in the leg and face.

             Fellow protesters said they believe police fired the pellets.

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