Lawyer Jottin Cury Jr writes today in Hoy newspaper that President Hipolito Mejia, the politician, has more than enough reasons to feel indignant towards his closest aides, especially those who promoted the most recent changes to the Constitution made in 2002. He explains that in their quest to remain in power, this particular PRD contingent did not weigh the consequences of what would happen, as is happening now, if circumstances did not favor Mejia?s re-election. The amendments to the constitution reinstated the legality of Presidential re-election, but, says Cury, the fervor to adopt those changes simultaneously buried any future aspirations Mejia may have to run again.
He comments that the 1994 Constitution merely prohibited consecutive terms of office. The modifications, however, incorporated in 2002 to emulate the American presidential model, now prohibits Mejia from ever being a candidate again. The 2002 Constitution states: ?The Executive Branch is exercised by the President of the Republic, who will be elected every four years by direct vote. The President of the Republic can opt for a second and sole consecutive period, but will not be able to stand for the Presidency again, nor for the Vice-Presidency of the Republic.?
Cury comments that it was Mejia?s closest collaborators who dug his political grave. ?When you mix unchecked ambition with ignorance, the consequences can be deadly,? he writes.