General Radhames Zorilla Ozuna, the Army Chief of Staff, has been reprimanded for his actions last week. The general has been an outspoken promoter of the re-election of President Mejia. A video footage of the general doling out money from an envelope carrying the PRD party emblem has been widely circulated on national television and all the talking heads have made mention of the incident. The PLD opposition party requested that the general be removed by President Mejia from his post. The Listin Diario reports that Armed Forces Minister Jose Soto Jimenez reminded the general that the Armed Forces are apolitical and heedful of the Constitution, on the instructions from President Hipolito Mejia. El Caribe says that President Mejia also told Zorilla to stop his political work. Mejia and Soto Jimenez ordered the major general to cease any activities that could be “misinterpreted”. Lieutenant General Soto Jimenez told reporters from El Caribe that he personally reprimanded Zorilla, in addition to the scolding given by the President. Soto Jimenez was questioned by reporters at the San Isidro Air Base, where President Mejia landed in a private jet following his four-day tour of South America.
Hoy newspaper carries statements by former president of the Central Electoral Board Juan Suly Bonnelly whereby he disagrees with the request to send the voters list to the Armed Forces, that argue they would like access to the list to remove any military that may appear among the voters.
Hoy newspaper in a page two commentary also mentions the commentary of the president of the Central Electoral Board, Luis Arias, whereby members of the Armed Forces have been requesting from the presidents of the municipal boards the voting list and the location of the voting stations.