The Central Electoral Board (JCE) ordered the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) political party to submit new candidates for deputies for Constituency District 1 of the National District for the upcoming 19 May 2024 congressional election. Fuerza del Pueblo was founded in 2019 when former President Leonel Fernandez split from the then-ruling Dominican Liberation Party under former President Danilo Medina.
The FP submitted the candidacies of Rafael Paz and Selinée Méndez for deputies. A ruling issued by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) had rejected these on ground that they did not correspond with the methodology the political party had registered for choosing the candidates.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) gave the political party until Wednesday, 1 May, to register its list of candidates for deputies for the aforementioned constituency, in compliance with sentences TSE/0307/2024, TSE/0323/2024 and TSE/0324/ 2024 issued by the Superior Electoral Court.
The JCE, in a communication sent to Manuel Crespo, political delegate of FP, explained that as the highest electoral authority of the Dominican Republic, it has the responsibility of complying with current laws and judicial rulings.
Rafael Ramon Paz Familia is a former executive vice president of the National Business Council (Conep), appointed in 2012, who served as executive director of the Competitiveness Council in 2017 under the last term of former President Danilo Medina. When Leonel Fernandez split from the PLD, Paz followed Fernandez to join his new Fuerza del Pueblo. Paz also sought to be the FP candidate for mayor of the National District.
The same TSE ruling had rejected the candidacy of Selinee Mendez for deputy for the FP. Mendez is a graduate in administration (PUCMM), lawyer and TV host, who first had made headlines when she won the Miss Dominican Republic contest (1998).
As reported, the FP had internally resolved the dispute over the candidacies, but the JCE continues to adhere to the earlier TSE ruling.
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Diario Libre
Diario Libre
30 April 2024