Jacinto Peynado may accept to run for mayor of Santo Domingo for the Partido Reformista Social Cristiano (PRSC). Peynado would accept the post in order to counteract the decision of the PRD to go with their leader, Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez, as candidate for mayor in the May 1998 municipal election. Press sectors say that the decision of the PRD is forcing an alliance between the government party, Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, and the PRSC. Peynado has denied participating in talks to this end, although he told Hoy newspaper journalist Manuel Jiménez, that "I don’t close doors." He said he does not favor another "slaughterhouse," of the party, referring to the past alliance between the PLD and PRSC responsible for the win of the PLD in the 1996 presidential election. He said that the party should not allow itself to be intimidated by the PLD. Political analysts question whether it would be convenient for the former Vice President of the Republic to run for mayor, especially since he has said he will aspire for the presidency on the PRSC ticket in the year 2000. Peynado was the PRSC candidate in the 1996 presidential election. Nevertheless, then President Joaquín Balaguer endorsed the candidacy of Leonel Fernández of the PLD with a proclaimed alliance of the PRSC and the PLD.
