President Hip?lito Mej?a again said he would not seek re-election in 2004 while addressing a group of visiting students at the Presidential Palace on Thursday. The main reason he gave was his wish to devote more time to his family. He also mentioned that the opportunity to become President should be left to others. The constitutional right of a ruling President to seek re-election was re-established just last year.
Meanwhile, other PRD presidential hopefuls spent the day at memorial services for Jose Francisco Pe?a Gomez, on the anniversary of the late party leader’s birthday. PRD president and re-election opponent, Hatuey Decamps, expressed his confidence that the PRD would win the 2004 elections, even without Mej?a as candidate. Vice President Milagros Ort?z Bosch stressed the need for party unity.