Amid continuing warnings and rumors about trouble at the January 26 General Assembly of Municipalities, Interior and Police Minister Ram?n Andr?s Blanco Fern?ndez announced yesterday that his Ministry would take charge of preparations and supervision of the Assembly in order to ensure "order and discipline." The Assembly is due to vote on the next President of the Dominican Municipal League (LMD), the official body representing the DR’s municipalities. The Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) has long argued that since it won most of the mayor’s offices in the country during the last elections, it should continue to chair the League. However, the Reformista Party (PRSC), which presently runs no national-level body, wants the LMD position and has enlisted the aid of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), the party presently controlling the national Executive Branch. The PRSC has put forth Senator Amable Aristy Castro (Altagracia), the former President of the Senate, as their candidate. Aristy Castro has frequently boasted that he already has enough votes sewn up to ensure his victory when Liga elections are held later this month. PRD has accused the PRSC of "buying" votes for Aristy Castro and the PLD of pressuring mayors to vote for him.
