With three months to go before the end of his term, President Hipolito Mejia has appointed a new general consul in New York City. Radhames Abreu, the husband of leading PRD leading pollster and full-time re-election political advisor Ana Maria Acevedo, will hold the position from 25 May through 16 August 2004, or until replaced by the incoming government. He replaces Jose Rafael Pimentel Moreno. President Mejia lost big in the expatriate election held in New York and New Jersey. In New Jersey, the PLD won with 74% of the vote versus 22.3% for the PRD. In New York, the PLD won with 73.7%, compared to 21.4% for the PRD. In New York, only half of those registered to vote actually cast a ballot. Abreu?s appointment is contained in Decree 472-04 issued yesterday. Hoy newspaper reports that the diplomat will assume the position immediately. The New York consulate is considered a very lucrative post for the person at the helm, who gets to keep a considerable proportion of the fees and charges made for services.
The Dominican consul in New York is considered the representative of the DR government in that city.