Deputies and senators from the ruling PLD who support Leonel Fernandez say that they do not support the decision made by the party’s Political Committee to send a proposal for constitutional reform to the National Congress to enable President Danilo Medina to run for re-election in 2016.
On Sunday, 19 April 2015, the PLD Political Committee met and approved the motion to propose a Constitutional change to allow a one-time presidential re-election with a vote of 23-11, as reported in El Dia.
At a press conference they later said that despite the President’s popular support, it was important for the party and for democracy to respect the existing Constitution.
The spokesman of the group, Ruben Maldonado read from a document saying that 62 deputies supported this position, although only 45 were present at the press conference. While agreeing that President Medina had done an excellent job for the benefit of the Dominican people, they said that the PLD would win the next elections regardless of who the candidate may be.
Likewise, 16 senators (of a total of 32) went on record yesterday to oppose the support for the motion to change the 2010 Constitution to allow for the re-election of President Danilo Medina.
“We do not think it is timely to change the Constitution now, just a few years after a comprehensive and democratic change of the Constitution. We believe that such an initiative would cause irreparable damage to the PLD and the memory of its leader, professor Juan Bosch,” read Puerto Plata senator Francis Vargas in representation of the group. At the press conference, Vargas said the Political Committee had expelled 10 legislators for voting in favor of re-election, and now would be acting inconsistently with its support for the re-election motion.
To change the Constitution, 148 votes are needed, representing two thirds of the 220 senators (32) and deputies (190).
As reported in El Dia, voting in favor of re-election were the four PLD pre-candidates Francisco Javier Garcia, Reinaldo Pared Perez, Temistocles Montas and Radhames Segura. Others in favor of the motion were Jose Joaquin Bido Medina, Lidio Cadet, Yomaira Medina, Ruben Jimenez Bichara, Simon Lizardo, Juan de los Santos, Miriam Cabral, Gonzalo Castillo, Carlos Pared Perez, Radhames Camacho, Jose Tomas Perez, Euclides Gutierrez Felix, Carlos Amarante Baret, Eduardo Selman, Cristina Lizardo, Jose Ramon Fadul, Ramon Ventura Camejo and Felucho Jimenez, Jaime David Fernandez. All are in government positions.
Voting against the motion were Leonel Fernandez, Margarita Cedeno, Rafael Alburquerque, Franklin Almeyda, Radhames Jimenez, Cesar Pina Toribio, Bautista Rojas Gomez, Alma Fernandez, Alejandrina German, Abel Martinez and Julio Cesar Valentin.
President Danilo Medina’s vote was null.
http://www.listindiario.com/la-republica/2015/4/20/364172/Decenas-de-diputados-leonelistas-en-desacuerdo-con-decision-del-CP
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/04/20/i1109241_senadores-leonelistas-dicen-incoherente-restablecer-reeleccin.html
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/2015/04/20/i1108991_diputados-leonelistas-rebelan-contra-reeleccin.html
La decisión del Comité Político “congela” al PLD y lo confronta