Former Vice President Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal openly spoke up in support of the candidacy of Alejandrina German for secretary general of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). He warned that Reynaldo Pared Perez, who received 48% of the vote, responds to the interests of a particular group within the organization. In a speech he said that the unity of the party should not be the result of arrangements made under the table. Fernandez said that the group that is trying to sell the idea that it controls the PLD is the same that led the party to defeats in the congressional election of 1998 and the presidential election of 2000. He spoke about former secretary of the Presidency, Danilo Medina, who was the party’s presidential candidate in 2000. Despite millionaire promotional support and marketing, Medina proved in the 2000 presidential race to lack the charisma necessary to win the presidency. But he continues to show his strength within the party. Present secretary general, Jose Tomas Perez, who came in third place in the vote, announced his support to the candidacy of Reynaldo Pared Perez in the second round vote that will be held on Thursday, 16 March. This announcement gives Pared Perez an almost certain victory. Fernandez said that the agreement whereby Jose Tomas Perez gives his support to Pared Perez could only be the result of a promised seat in the Political Committee or a congressional seat. News reports indicate that the party is divided into two groups: those that support Jaime David Fernandez and those that support Danilo Medina. The party’s expected next presidential candidate, former President Leonel Fernandez has kept himself removed from the internal party debates. In the Sunday, 11 March round to choose the party secretary general, Reynaldo Pared Perez received 48.22% (7,402 votes), Alejandrina German 32.18% (11,089) and Jose Tomas Perez 19.6% (4,508).
