Sociologist Candido Mercedes, general coordinator of the civil society watchdog organization Participacion Ciudadana, says that re-election in the Dominican Republic means corruption, destruction, subjugation of democratic practices, use and abuse of state resources and institutional weakness. He referred to the Friday, 12 June 2015 amendment approval by Congress, as reported in El Nuevo Diario. He said that of the 39 amendments to the Constitution, 33 are linked to presidential re-election or extending the term of the incumbent. He described this as a “degradation of institutions.”
He pointed out that President Danilo Medina himself had said he would not seek re-election at the end of his term and that the passage of the amendment damages the President’s image.
Mercedes made his comments while being interviewed by Llennis Jimenez on the Despacho Informativo program.
He estimated that on average the Constitution has been modified every 4.5 years. “That is incredible, we are the laughing stock of the world.” He said the DR is the leader in constitutional amendments in the world.
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