Ana Mitila Lora writes today that Dominican politics has reached such a level of ?sophistication? that it appears that not even the usual mediators in their priest?s garb serve the purpose anymore.
The new ?experts? in managing conflicts such as this long ongoing transition are imported from the mother country, Spain. Reports such that the former president of the Spanish government, Felipe Gonzalez, would ?mediate? a potential encounter between President Hipolito Mejia and his successor, Leonel Fernandez, should bring shame to us, says Lora. Is it that differences between Mejia and Fernandez are so irreconcilable that they need the old friend of Jose Francisco Pena Gomez to come to mollify their positions? Is the national leadership incapable? Or merely immature?
She comments that the note published in El Nacional newspaper tells that Gonzalez met Mejia and Fernandez separately. The meeting with Fernandez reportedly happened at the Torre Palacio Real penthouse on Anacaona Ave belonging to Spanish magnate Jesus Barderas. Also present was businessman Abraham Hazoury. Meanwhile, Mejia had breakfast the day before with Gonzalez, Barderas and Hazoury at the latter?s home on Paseo de la Canada in Los Pinos, Arroyo Hondo.
For years it has been said that Gonzalez has business deals in the Dominican Republic, as do Barderas and Hazoury, who has many, ranging from Aerodom to the hallucination of tourism investments. All three know that Spanish investment is on the upswing and that the outgoing President Mejia is no lame duck, incapable of moving, as the Americans call outgoing heads of state. Thus, in meetings like those, is the talk of business or politics?