President Hipólito Mejía again defended his right to the "spoils system" and rejected criticism from historian Mu-Kien Sang Ben and Luis Scheker Ortiz, a lawyer and Minister of Sports in a previous PRD administration. Mejía said these two could say whatever they wanted, but that he would continue firing government employees to make way for his own supporters. Among those fired are hundreds of persons hired in previous PRD governments. Mejía has emphasized that "for that we won these elections." Mu Kien Sang Ben is director of the Project to Support Democratic Initiatives of the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra. Sang Ben said that Mejía’s government was being characterized for being "explosive", with Mejía acting like a populist, caudillo and authoritarian leader. Scheker criticized the simplicity with which the President responds to criticism regarding the numerous firings, leaving citizens with a chilling effect when he says the firings will continue. Scheker says that at a time when efforts are made to modernize and make the state efficient, providing honest and skilled government employees with minimal guarantees, the President brandishes the political patronage system to justify an irrational, unfair and abusive policy.
