The media is tracing the many meetings, the presidential candidate of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), Luis Abinader, had before testing positive for Covid-19. Abinader shared the news on the evening of 10 June 2020 in a short video on social media. His wife, Raquel Arbaje is also infected with the virus. The couple is in self-isolation. Abinader said his doctors are confident he will have a speedy recovery as he is not a high-risk patient.
Hoy newspaper gives a rundown of the many places where Abinader has been this week, and where he could have spread the disease. At all times, Abinader wore a face mask. Abinader had been active in the Summit for Unity and National Recovery, an event convened to focus on the economic crisis, local culture and citizenry, Dominican institutions, and the health crisis. He also presented his government proposals to the National Business Council’s audience, as part of the series “Encounters with Presidential Candidates 2020.” “He met this week at the Association of Film Professionals (Adocine) where he agreed to honor and improve the national film-making law.
According to leading polls, Abinader is the frontrunner for winning the 2020 presidential election. The polls show if he does not take the election in a first-round on 5 July, he will do so in the second round on 26 July.
A feature in Diario Libre on 12 June, looks into how Abinader will be affected positively or negatively with coming down with the disease less than a month before the presidential election. The newspaper points out how at the start of the virus, Abinader set the example and carried out the campaign activities from his home. His competitor, Gonzalo Castillo of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), did the contrary, taking advantage of the situation.
As polls showed Castillo gained points during the pandemic for his aggressive campaigning, Abinader, too would comb the nation, being present at campaign activities that took him to barrios in cities, rural areas, and hospitals.
Diario Libre says Abinader could take advantage of being a victim of politics. It says, the candidate now must concentrate on attracting the independent voter that will ensure he takes the election in a first-round, using digital platforms for this. His lead opponent, Gonzalo Castillo, has held a billion peso media campaign where he appears to be everywhere. He and his followers are shown distributing essential products to the needy population or spearheading repatriation flights using his aviation company.
Roberto Fulcar, the Abinader campaign coordinator, said that Abinader and his wife Raquel Arbaje will be isolated for a time, but still maintaining communication. Fulcar expects both will recover in about a week and resume activities, to return to the campaign in its crucial final days.
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Hoy
Diario Libre
Listin Diario
Abinader Covid-19 statement
12 June 2020