Jacinto Peynado is not giving up his aspirations to become the PRSC candidate in the 2004 presidential elections without a fight. The PRSC has yet to formally register the candidacy of the winner of its primary, former Santiago senator and public works minister Eduardo Estrella. The candidacy is not official until recognized by the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the government body in charge of organizing presidential, municipal and congressional elections in the Dominican Republic.
In a letter published in local papers, Peynado says that he will not accept the results of the primaries held 30 March and that he will take the results to the electoral court and to ordinary courts as well. Although he sees little possibility that his claims of extensive fraud in the primaries should be resolved within the PRSC, Peynado wants the party and the JCE to allow internal elections to be held in San Pedro de Macor?s, Miches, Janico, Tamboral and San Jos? de las Matas, in addition to a revision of the 8,000 annulled votes. President Mej?a subsequently admitted that the Proyecto Presidencial Hip?lito (PPH) faction of the PRD had supported Estrella?s candidacy.
Orlando Gil, political analyst of the List?n Diario, says that when a commission of the Estrella group met with Peynado and his supporters, the expected deal of the presidency of the party in return for the candidacy was not offered. ?What is true is that he [Estrella] cannot give what he does not have, and the PRSC is not in his hands.? Gil explains that for Estrella to demand this of the party leaders as compensation for the Peynado partisans would only add another conflict,? writes Gil.
Meanwhile, El Caribe reports that Estrella was on the campaign trail in the Cibao and Northwest regions.