Former President Joaqu?n Balaguer arrived over the weekend from Miami, Florida after a month and a week absence from the DR for medical checkups and recovery. He was interned at the Methodist Hospital of Houston, Texas and then stayed on in Miami recovering at a friend’s home. The 92 year old statesman was received by enthusiastic crowds of followers. The comment of the town was that "Balaguer lleg? parao!, that is without any help he walked down the steps of the private jet that flew him in from Miami. Thousands at the airport were promoting his candidacy for the year 2000 elections. While blind and aging, the politician who governed the DR for the past 22 of 32 years, has maneuvered himself back into power from outside of power, and whom he backs in the presidential elections may determine who will be the winner. As has been his tradition throughout his entire political career, he declined to say whether he would run for President himself in year 2000.
