Can Hippo run again?

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rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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Can Hippo run again?

Rick Snyder had posted this in another thread. I moved my question to here, as not to hijack the other thread:

Rick Snyder said:
OK let?s see if we can explain this one more time. The latest change to the Dominican constitution was done in 2002. Article 49 says;

?-El Poder Ejecutivo se ejerce por el Presidente de la Rep?blica, quien ser? elegido cada cuatro a?os por voto directo. El Presidente de la Rep?blica podr? optar por un segundo y ?nico per?odo constitucional consecutivo, no pudiendo postularse jam?s al mismo cargo, ni a la Vicepresidencia de la Rep?blica.?

The prior constitution of 1994, Article 49 said;

?El Poder Ejecutivo se ejerce por el Presidente de la Rep?blica, quien ser? elegido cada cuatro a?os por voto directo, no pudiendo ser electo para el per?odo constitucional siguiente?

Constitution1994 here and 2002 here.

Rick

Joel you said, "Then why isn't ex President Hippo allowed to run again? I thought I read they changed the Constitution so that Hippo couldn't run?"

They changed it so he could run and he lost against LF. There is talk that he wants to run again in 2008 which he can do. All that will depend on the stupidity of the people not remembering times gone by and/or the power of the PPH within the PRD.
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I recall someone else had posted; since Hippo had served in 2000, and ran in 2004, that he would not be able to run in 2008. It didn't make sense to me at the time, but I recall the poster being fairly sure of themself.

My Sanish is not nearly good enough to interpert what the Constitution says.
 
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HOWMAR

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Jan 28, 2004
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I think the Constitution was amended to allow the President to run for re-election 1 time (win or lose). Would have made more sense to limit the President to two terms, but very few things here make sense. As both Hippo and LF have run for re-election 1 time, I guess it is time for another amendment if LF wants to run again.
 
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Hipocrito Mejia

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Jan 5, 2006
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As it stands right now, Hippo can not run again. However, his presidential project (PPH) has a stronghold on the PRD and any candidate that they (PRD)nominate will be controlled by Hippo and his close circle of crooks.
 
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rellosk

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Mar 18, 2002
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HOWMAR said:
I think the Constitution was amended to allow the President to run for re-election 1 time (win or lose). Would have made more sense to limit the President to two terms, but very few things here make sense. As both Hippo and LF have run for re-election 1 time, I guess it is time for another amendment if LF wants to run again.
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I could be wrong, but it's my understanding that LF can run again. It may be because he did not run for consecutive terms, or it may be because he served before the 2002 constitutional change.
 
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Ogre of the Caribbean

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Sep 20, 2003
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Constitution

This is what I think has happened.

They changed the Constitution in the 1990's to forbid re-election of the President. Therefore, LF could not run again. Hippo won in 2000. During Hippo's term the Constitution was amended to allow Hippo to run again. He did and lost. After LF came back into power, I thought they changed it back to where there was no possibility of re-election. Apparently, that is not correct or they yet again amended the Constiution to allow LF to run again.

I have read that Hippo was forbidden to run for re-election, but I don't understand why he would be.

In the 90's, they amended the Constitution to make the last term of President Balaguer only 2 years. I think the Dominican Constitution can be amended rather easily. Perhaps too easily.
 
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rellosk

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joel pacheco said:
After LF came back into power, I thought they changed it back to where there was no possibility of re-election. Apparently, that is not correct or they yet again amended the Constiution to allow LF to run again.
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There have been no Constitutional changes since 2002. I know Leonel is pushing for some changes, but I don't know what they are.

joel pacheco said:
I have read that Hippo was forbidden to run for re-election, but I don't understand why he would be.
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I'm not exactly sure why either.

If I don't get a definitive answer here, I'll post the question in the Legal Forum.
 
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Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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The 1964 Dominican constitution was amended after 30 years in 1994. The amendments were promulgated on August 14, 1994, by then-President Joaquín Balaguer. The reason that Balaguer only served for 2 years after his 1994 election was due to an agreement by the political factors at that time and had nothing to do with the constitution. In 1996 Fernandez won due to the backing of Balaguer. The constitution said LF could only serve one term, (“no pudiendo ser electo para el período constitucional siguiente”). In 2002 “Fat Boy’s” buddies wanted him to be able to run again and the constitution went through the legal process of amendment and even though “Fat Boy” said he didn’t want to and wouldn’t run again he authorized the amendment in 2002 but lost the 2004 election. The 2002 constitution allows an elected president to serve a second term if reelected, (“El Presidente de la República podrá optar por un segundo y único período constitucional consecutive”). Once serving as a president that person can never hold that position again, (“no pudiendo postularse jamás al mismo cargo”).

Hope this helps.

Rick

Edited with the red, bold and underlined. Sorry I relapsed thinking I had graduaded from a Dominican school of mathematics.
 
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Ogre of the Caribbean

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What?

So, if someone can only serve as President once, why did LF get to run again and have the right to run for re-election in the next election? Why can't Hippo?

I really don't understand this.
 
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Rick Snyder

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Nov 19, 2003
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Joel,

I will be the first to admit that I may not be right on LF serving a second term but as I understand the 94 version a president could not serve a second term with no mention of never serving another 4 year term at a later date. The 2002 version allows a second term but if elected for a second term can never run for that office again.

Rick
 
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