2004News

Heads of government expected

Nine heads of government have confirmed their attendance for the inauguration of President-elect Leonel Fernandez. El Caribe newspaper reports that Alvaro Uribe (Colombia), Mireya Moscoso (Panama), Ricardo Maduro (Honduras), Abel Pacheco (Costa Rica), Jorge Batlle (Uruguay), Oscar Berger (Guatemala) and Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva (Brasil) will travel to the DR to witness the ceremonies of 16 August. Other heads of government expected include prime ministers Said Musa of Belize and Yu Shyi-Kun of Taiwan. Prince Felipe Borbon of Asturias and his wife Letizia Ortiz will be on hand to represent the King and Queen of Spain. The White House has not yet announced who will represent the US, but El Caribe says that PLD insiders expect it will be Florida?s Governor Jeb Bush, given that Florida is the DR?s leading trading partner in the US.