Education Minister Andrés Navarro for the first time has openly admitted he would consider being a candidate to the Presidency for the ruling PLD party. Navarro has been mentioned, along with Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, as two politicians that would possibly have the support of incumbent President Danilo Medina. According to the 2015 Constitution, President Danilo Medina cannot run for President again. In order for Medina to run for President, the Constitution would need to be changed. Medina had already pushed for a change in the 2010 Constitution so he could opt for re-election in the 2016 general election.
Navarro told the 106.5FM Sol de la Mañana talk show hosts that his aspirations to serve the public is for the long term, but he will not be rushed into making a decision, and that he has hit feet firmly on the ground.
“I am a full time politician,” he said. But he clarified he was not desperate and would wait for when the time was right. He said he could also aspire to become a legislator (either a deputy or senator), or city mayor or city councilor.
He said, “I have aspirations.” But clarified that he believes in the modern institutionalism movement and that the best way to earn the favor of the population is with ethical and responsible work while in office.
Navarro spoke after the president of the public school teachers association (ADP), Eduardo Hidalgo protested the Ministry of Education’s decision to convene a public tender for the choosing of regional and district education directors, so these appointments could be conferred for merit. A pre-selection would be chosen by Educa, a local pro-education non-governmental organization. ADP says that Navarro wants to make changes for political convenience.
The announcement of the choosing of the directors with outside counsel has the backing of former ADP president Maria Teresa Cabrera (a leading participant in the anti-corruption Green March movement) who said the method chosen for the school district directors would not violate laws and regulations and has all the characteristics of an opposition contest. She said that the procedures should be clear and rigorously followed.
10 January 2018
