The former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, said upon his arrival in Santo Domingo in connection with a pre-election observer group, that he expects all Dominicans, win or lose, to accept the process and the results of the May election, and he considered that this election could be an important turning point for the country. He said that his pre-electoral observer group seeks to look at the electoral setting and the process that will climax with the election.
The mission arrived in the country at the invitation of the presidential candidates of the three major parties and the Junta Central Electoral. He said that the group he leads is made up by leaders from 17 countries in the Americas. With him came Belisario Betancur, former President of Colombia. Mr Betancur said that “We are not here to bring democracy. On the contrary, we are here to strengthen the aspirations of the Dominican people within your own democracy.” The former president of Colombia feels that democracy is important in all the countries of the Americas, and that democrats from all of them have the obligation to support each other. During their visit they are scheduled to meet with President Balaguer and the candidates of the three principal political parties.