José Francisco Peña Gómez’s candidacy is receiving the support of the Partido Democrático Institucional (PDI), whose founding vice president is an evangelical minister, Natividad Fermín. Mr Fermín says that there is a new awakening among his followers to the importance of political participation. He said the party would proclaim Dr Peña Gómez and Alvarez Bogaert as their presidential and vice presidential candidates during the party’s convention on 12 February in Santo Domingo.