The death of Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez before he had been able to choose his party’s candidate to the presidency in the year 2000 elections, presents a difficult challenge for the party’s board members. Party board members will now have to organize the primaries to choose the presidential candidate. Many of the board members themselves aspire to be chosen the presidential candidate. Board members are Vicente Sánchez Baret, Hugo Tolentino Dipp, secretary general Hatuey de Camps, Winston Arnaud and Rafael Gamundi Cordero. Also Hipólito Mejía, Rafael Suberví Bonilla, senator Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Emmanuel Esquea Guerrero and Tony Raful in addition to Milagros Ortiz Bosch. It is said that the three strongest aspirants to be chosen the presidential candidate are: Hatuey de Camps, a student leader, who was secretary of the Presidency in the government of Salvador Jorge Blanco, and has been congressman. Hipólito Mejia, an agribusinessman who was minister of agriculture in the PRD government of President Antonio Guzmán Fernández and vice presidential candidate to Peña Gómez in the 1990 elections. Rafael Subervi, former minister of tourism, and mayor of Santo Domingo, congressman, present time candidate to deputy for Barahona. The PRD needs to renew leadership, following the deaths of party leaders Peña Gómez, Antonio Guzmán and Jacobo Majluta.
