The president of the Chamber of Deputies, Radhamés Camacho on Sunday, 22 September 2019, defended his “political right” and that of fellow politicians to participate as coordinators of the electoral campaign of pre-candidate Gonzalo Castillo. Camacho is backing Castillo who seeks to defeat former President Leonel Fernández in the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) primary on 6 October 2019.
“Where does it say I cannot direct the campaign because I am the president of the Chamber of Deputies?,” demanded Camacho when journalists asked him to respond to protests to the campaigning of high government officers by the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). He denied the government officers were violating anything.
Campaigning of government officers is prohibited by Political Parties Law 33-18 and the Government Officers Law 41-08, Electoral Regime Law 15-19 and the Tax Code.
The government officers argue they are campaigning outside of their work hours.
Luis Abinader, pre-candidate for the opposition Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) called for the ruling party to adhere to the laws and protested the government actions in favor of Gonzalo Castillo. “As the party’s lawyers have documented, the participation of officials in political campaigns violates the laws of Public Function and Electoral Regime and ignores the constitutional provision that commands free, fair and clean elections,” Abinader said during a press meeting at a local hotel over the weekend.
The PRM pre-candidate summoned the senior government officials to resign or take a license to act as part of the government pre-candidate’s campaign command.
Meanwhile, the media has reported on the millions being spent to promote the pre-candidates. Recent the PLD reported spending RD$555 million in the pre-candidate campaigns. It presented campaign receipts for RD$291.5 million for Gonzalo Castillo and in spending RD$269 million. Leonel Fernandez reported RD$247 million in campaign receipts and RD$177 million in spending.
The PRM states it has spent RD$58 million for their pre-candidate campaigns.
Both parties are preparing for the 6 October 2019 primaries, with Gonzalo Castillo and Leonel Fernandez the main contenders for the PLD, and Luis Abinader and Hipólito Mejía for the PRM.
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23 September 2019