In an effort to get an early start into the 2028 presidential election, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), led by former President Danilo Medina, officially approved eight pre-candidates. During a meeting of the Central Committee on Sunday, 22 February 2026, it was established that the definitive candidate will be selected during the last quarter of 2026. The Dominican electoral law establishes that the presidential pre campaign for securing the party nominations opens 5 July 2027.
The official list of the eight approved pre-candidates includes Francisco Javier García, Francisco Domínguez Brito, and Charles Mariotti, who had previously expressed their interest. They are joined by Gonzalo Castillo, Ramón Ventura Camejo, Luis de León, Manfred Mata, and Mario Bruno Gonzales.
PLD Party vice president Ariel Jimenez and 2024 presidential candidate Abel Martinez, both who had expressed their interest in being considered for the candidacy, are not included in the recent list. Gonzalo Castillo was not present at the Sunday gathering.
Abel Martínez who lost to Luis Abinader in the 2024 election, announced he would not participate in this cycle. He said his decision follows public friction with the party’s high hierarchy regarding the direction of the organization.
The PLD is currently attempting to regain the Executive Branch it held during a dominant era from 1996-2000 and from 2004 to 2020 under the presidencies of Leonel Fernández and Danilo Medina. Leonel Fernández split from the PLD in 2019 after differences about the choice of the party pre-candidate. At that time, under the leadership of Medina, the party chose Gonzalo Castillo, the former Minister of Public Works, who is now among the eight newly approved pre-candidates. Castillo lost the 2020 election to President Abinader and continues to have a corruption case pending in the judiciary (Operacion Calamar).
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Listin Diario
Listin Diario
23 February 2026