According to El Nacional newspaper, the crisis affecting the ruling PLD is probably the biggest of the six crises that the party has faced in the last 25 years.
In 2008, the then-presidential pre-candidate, Danilo Medina, accused then-President Leonel Fernandez of using state resources to win the internal party vote for the candidacy. Fernandez went on to win 70% to 30% and won the election against the PRD’s Miguel Vargas Maldonado.
In 2002, then-president Hipolito Mejia proposed modifying the constitution to bring back presidential re-election against his own PRD party’s principles. He was supported by 11 PLD deputies, who were expelled from the party,
In 2000, Danilo Medina and the then Vice President Jaime David Fernandez Mirabal were competing for the presidential nomination. Followers of Fernandez Mirabal accused Medina of benefitting from state resources and support of the then-President Fernandez. They said that they were “buying municipalities” with money and electro-domestic products. Hipolito Mejia (PRD) won the election.