At the same time Blanco became president, the world price on sugar dropped. The economy of the Dominican Republic was in a financial crisis as the government was spending far more than the country could afford and was three billion dollars in debt. The International Money Fund demanded cuts to spending. There were protests and riots. Blanco sent in the army to crush the protests: more than 100 people were killed, 500 wounded and thousands were put in prison. It was claimed that Blanco and other members of the government were making a lot of money through corrupt dealings with the army and military contracts.