The media has been covering the responses to President Danilo Medina’s announcement that he would not stand for President in the 2020 election.
The president of the National Business Council (Conep) Pedro Brache said the speech was one of a great statesman.
The auxiliary bishop of the diocese of Santo Domingo, Jesús Castro Marte, was one of the first to react. On Twitter, the bishop said that the President had shown that he had the humility of great men, by putting the welfare of the country foremost.
The president of the Senate, Reinaldo Pared Pérez stated: “Excellent speech that filled all expectations. I believe with that speech the President honored his word.”
Leonel Fernández follower, deputy Rubén Maldonado, expects the President will serve as a referee in the coming elections, putting the interests of the country above his desires.
Rafael Nuñez, spokesman for Leonel Fernández, said now is the time for the party to immerse itself in unification.
Sociologist Olaya Dotel said in an interview on La Cuestion (Super7FM) that the push for constitutional reform was canceled simply because the numbers were not there. She called attention to Medina’s remark that he would back “new blood.” Dotel says this means he will not be backing Fernández, who seeks a fourth term in office. Dotel said that the pre-candidate who receives the support of Medina will make life difficult for Fernández, even if the former President eventually wins the PLD candidacy. “Even if he wins the primaries, he will not have the support of Medina or his followers,” said Dotel. She observed that to tell from his words on Monday evening, Medina has taken the confrontation with Fernández personally.
Political analyst Rosario Espinal described the political panorama as “more complex and uncertain” in a radio interview for the afternoon program “El Gobierno de la Tarde” on Z101. She said there is much uncertainty about what is going to happen within the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). She said people would have to wait until the registration of pre-candidates on 22 August 2019 to have a good idea of who Medina will back.
The presidential pre-candidate for Dominicanos por el Cambio, engineer Eduardo Estrella, said that the speech was “demagogic, populist and reelectionist”. He described the remarks as a “sign of desperation, distrust and wanting to justify what cannot be justified.” Estrella is a former senator for Santiago and minister of Public Works.
Opposition deputy Fidel Santana of Frente Amplio is skeptical. He said that Medina could still attempt to modify the Constitution so he could return to power in 2024. The 2015 Constitution limits presidential terms to two consecutive terms and that’s it.
Political analysts Diana Lora and Patricia Solano concluded that the speech was a call for war against Fernández. They found that by stating that he would back “new blood”, Medina is saying he will not back Fernández.
A spokesman for the Leonelistas in Congress, Juan Quiñones, said that there is still the possibility that Medina followers will present the bill to convene the National Assembly for the revision of the Constitution. Nevertheless, Leonelista followers legislators Henry Merán and Demóstenes Martínez understand the issue is closed.
Deputy Ronald Sánchez, the spokesman for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) legislators, said the announcement brings peace and calm not only to the National Congress but to the country as a whole. Nevertheless, he said the remarks by President Danilo Medina were somewhat ambiguous. “He said what he wanted to say. I saw him still a little angry, I would not want to draw a definitive conclusion because in reality despite the fact that in some points he said he would not run for President and that his government would end in 2020, he says that he is willing to continue serving the country,” observed Sánchez. He stressed that Medina’s decision was the result of pressure from the people and the firmness of the PRM legislators who from the beginning maintained a consistent position of rejection of the constitutional amendment.
PRM deputy Faride Raful concurred with Sánchez. She said the deputies that kept a firm stand against reelection and did not give in to temptations are who should be congratulated.
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Diario Libre
Z101 Digital
Super7
Al Momento
El Dia
El Dia
La Cuestión
Z101 Digital
El Dia
24 July 2019