Political analyst Gustavo Olivo Peña explains that for Chamber of Deputies president Hector Rafael Peguero Méndez to repeat as president of the Chamber, he and his supporters need to convince four additional PRD deputies to vote for him. This is in the case that all deputies attend on the day of the inaugural of the new session of the Chamber of Deputies on 16 August. Peguero is acting contrary to wishes of the board of the Partido Revolucionario Dominicano, which recently expelled him for his disobedience to party guidelines. The PRD deputies add up to 76 votes, while the PLD has 49 and the PRSC has 17. Peguero has six followers in the Chamber of Deputies for a possible 73 votes in his favor. Journalist Olivo Peña writes that while Peguero Méndez’s win in the Chamber of Deputies could be seen as a victory of the PLD, there is uncertainty of how things will eventually work out. It is possible Peguero Méndez will return to the PRD, or he will not be an easy collaborator of the PLD. He comments that the government’s decision to possibly support Peguero Mendez can be compared to a U.S. President seeking a "fast track" to avoid lengthy congressional negotiations. The PRD won majority in both congressional houses in the 16 May congressional elections.
