One of the problematic political predicaments the Abinader government has yet to overcome is how the new ruling party will handle the replacements for three deputies that won their seats but have been appointed to high up government jobs. People hope for politics of change while others are betting on politics as usual.
The electoral law establishes the political party will present a shortlist of three for a vote in the Chamber of Deputies. Over the past decades, it has become traditional for the vote to be negotiated beforehand. The practice has been to allocate the seat to a relative of the deputy, or person of choice of the deputy. This time around, with the ruling party promising to move away from nepotism and align with democratic principles, there is a move for the appointing instead the runner up deputy.
The legislative positions in dispute are those of Josefa Castillo, Nelson Arroyo, Omar Caba and Zaida Polanco.
Josefa Castillo was elected deputy for the Santo Domingo province in the 5 July 2020 election, yet later named Superintendent of Insurance in the Abinader administration. She had been a deputy for the PRM since 2006. Castillo is backing her son Jheyson Amir Garcia Castillo to replace her in the position. He is a former Boca Chica city councilor who ran for mayor in the March 2020 election yet lost to the PLD candidate. Another son of Castillo, Omar García Castillo, was recently appointed deputy director of the National Health System (SNS).
Nelson Arroyo won the deputy seat for San Pedro de Macoris. Shortly after, he was named director of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (Institute). His position also needs to be filled by the party.
A third is that of deputy Olmedo Caba, elected for Duarte province, who was named to direct the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (Indrhi).
The PRM also needs to choose the shortlist for naming the deputy for Valverde. Elected in the 5 July polls, Polanco died in July of Covid-19.
Read more in Spanish:
N Digital
Diario Libre
Puro Higueyano
Curioso Digital
Listin Diario
N Digital
27 September 2020