The members of the Central Committee of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) met on 10 August 2019 to choose the presidential pre-candidates that will participate in 6 October primary.
President Danilo Medina came up with a solution that was accepted by the Central Committee of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). At a time when the party electoral commission had not yet decided on the methodology to choose the aspirants to pre-candidate, the President asked for a turn at the meeting on Saturday, 10 August 2019, and proposed that the 11 that aspired be registered.
Those that will be registered on 22 August 2019 with the Central Electoral Board (JCE) are: Leonel Fernández, Reinaldo Pared Pérez, Temístocles Montás, Radhamés Segura, Carlos Amarante Baret, Gonzalo Castillo, Francisco Domínguez Brito, Andrés Navarro, Manuel Crespo, Maritza Hernández and Melanio Paredes. Notably missing from the list of pre-candidates is Vice President Margarita Cedeño. Polls had listed her as the highest-ranked in popularity after Medina and her husband, former President Leonel Fernández.
Fernández called the Saturday meeting an “example of political maturity.”
The Central Committee met with a roll call of 571 members of 613 members. The meeting was held to define how the pre-candidates would be selected and to choose the presidential pre-candidates for the party.
The members of the National Electoral Commission of the PLD are: Lidio Cadet, Alejandrina Germán, Rubén Jimenez Bichara, Danilo Díaz, César Prieto, Armando García, Lupe Núñez, Robert de la Cruz, and Henry Merán.
In an editorial on Monday, 12 August 2019, executive editor of Diario Libre Adriano Miguel Tejada writes that the Saturday meeting of the PLD is proof that the opposition will have to work hard to oust the PLD from the Presidency. He speculated that the plan of those who follow Medina in the PLD is to allow Fernández to win the presidential candidacy but to secure all other key positions in Congress and the municipalities.
Diario Libre reports that another great challenge of the political party is to unify the other presidential pre-candidates under one candidacy. The pre-candidates have agreed to back the best-positioned candidate as he runs against Fernández in the 6 October 2019 primary. There is speculation that former Public Works Minister Gonzalo Castillo is the favorite of President Danilo Medina.
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Diario Libre
12 August 2019