Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo said the country would need to wait until mid-2019 for the powers-that-be to decide whether to push through a legislative process that would lead to the possible reelection of President Danilo Medina. Medina is banned by the 2015 Constitution from running for president in 2020. However, our readers may recall the constitutional barriers existed that ‘prevented’ Danilo to seek election in the 2016 general election. However, through a concerted effort by the President’s allies who spearheaded a modification of the constitution in 2015, enabled Medina to seek reelection.
Indeed, Castillo was one of the strongest promoters for Danilo’s reelection bid in time for the 2016 general election.
“We have said that these are times to work, to work, and the second half of 2019 is when we will see what the Dominican people want,” he said when interviewed on El Sol de la Mañana.
Castillo argued that in the six years of Medina administration, the Dominican Republic has enjoyed continual growth, and is the envy of all Latin America.
Castillo said he expects an agreement to be reached between supporters of former President Leonel Fernandez and those of Danilo Medina. Fernandez is the president of the ruling PLD party and has expressed his desire to run once again for president.
During a meeting of the Political Committee of the PLD, the highest ranked deciding body of the ruling party, on Monday, 6 August 2018, the party confirmed that Radhames Camacho, of the Medina group, would preside the Chamber of Deputies and Reinaldo Pared Pérez would preside the Senate. Likewise, the party accepted the suspension of the secretary of Organization and Finances, Felix Bautista and Victor Díaz Rua, respectively, who were both relieved of their posts after it was revealed that their US visas were revoked on the grounds of the two politicians being linked to widespread corruption. Deputy Miriam Cabral and Culture Minister Eduardo Selman were appointed to replace these as secretary of organization and finances, respectively. Present at the meeting were 33 of the 35 members of the Political Committee.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
7 August 2018
