The PRSC presidential candidate, Jacinto Peynado, successfully held his first mass rally in Puerto Plata. Marking the start of a strong push to make the finals in the race for President, Mr Peynado changed his strategy and put aside his criticism of the Balaguer administration and the close collaborators of the regime. He has now latched on to the campaign tactic that has won so many votes for his predecessor and promises not only to complete the works begun by President Balaguer but to build more.
Political analyst Maximo Diaz, of Hoy, comments that “Peynado is now aware that what is important in politics is to win, not with whom nor in what circumstances.” Jacinto Peynado, he says, now seems aware that to win he needs the support of all the Reformistas, including those who he has criticized as the “palace ring”. In his campaign, Jacinto Peynado is also acknowledging that his principal rival is Francisco Peña Gómez, and is thus reducing the image of Leonel Fernandez of the PLD, the successful newcomer for the 1996 election.
His campaign call is “a Peña Gómez dejenmelo a mí que yo le gano.” He hopes that those who have voted for the PRSC in the past and have now trickled into the PLD bucket according to most polls will return.” For now, Jacinto Peynado will be emphasizing in his campaign the “good side” of the Balaguer administration if he is to count on the support of President Balaguer in the campaign.
His campaign opening rally held in Puerto Plata on Sunday, 7 January was described as the largest ever held by a political party in Puerto Plata. Esteban Sarita of the Listín Diario said that “the PRSC and its presidential candidate went beyond all expectations in the campaign by holding the most extraordinary rally ever held by any party in that city.”