Members of the Political Committee of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) advocated on Monday, 8 July 2019 at the headquarters of the party that President Danilo Medina and former President Leonel Fernández should compete in the 6 October 2019 primary. The president of the Senate, Reinaldo Pared Pérez spoke for the Committee members. He left open the possibility the party would push to amend the 2015 Constitution so that President Danilo Medina can participate in the primary and run for the top office again.
As reported, 22 of the 34 members of the influential Political Committee attended the press announcement. On the presiding table were Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo, Culture Minister Eduardo Selman, Tourism Minister Francisco Javier García and Interior & Police Minister Monchi Fadul. Questions were not taken from journalists.
Pared Pérez criticized former President Leonel Fernández for his “belligerent attitude.” Fernández is the president of the ruling PLD. He was President of the Republic from 1996-2000, 2004-2008 and 2008-2012.
Pared Pérez told reporters that Fernández should instruct his followers to take the debate on constitutional reform to Congress.
“A sector of our party, led by party member President Dr. Leonel Fernandez, has adopted a belligerent position before the National Congress to prevent the convening of the National Revising Assembly to reform the Constitution and allow President Danilo Medina to opt for a new presidential term. We regret that this belligerent attitude is adopted when the two chambers of the legislative branch are presided by two prominent members of the Political Committee of our organization,” said Pared Perez.
“We respect the right of every member of our party to have and express their positions on this or any other issue that affects the life of the nation. However, we wish to call on party member Leonel Fernández and his followers to express their positions within the framework of the normal debate within the legislative chambers,” he said.
He added: “For this reason, if the Constitution were to be modified to enable party member Danilo Medina [to run again], he would also have to submit to the competitive process of the open primaries, in which all who aspire to run for President on our party’s ballot in the 2020 elections would participate.”
Legislator Juan Carlos Quiñones, a Fernández follower, said that the Medina followers are offering legislators anything they may ask for to get their vote for the reelection. Quiñones said he would tell on legislators that take bribes to vote for the amendment.
Former President Leonel Fernández said he would set his position to the press that was convened for 4pm on Tuesday, 9 July 2019. “We value the unprecedented effort made by the Dominican people in defense of our Constitution. Let’s continue this struggle, peacefully and legally, to leave embodied the desire of the great national majority that demands respect for the Constitution,” said the former President on Twitter. Fernández has called the general public to sign a petition that was opened against constitutional reform in front of the National Congress.
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9 July 2019