Miguel Martínez, general secretary of the Opción Democrática (OD) party, identifies citizen apathy and systemic inequality as the primary hurdles for emerging political organizations in the Dominican Republic. Elected in October 2024 through a direct vote by the members of the party, under a strict no-reelection policy, Martínez balances his role as a civil engineer with the “intense” responsibility of “motorizing” a party that operates without the vast resources of traditional political machineries.
The challenge of political antipathy
Martínez argues that the greatest “silent adversary” is the deep-seated frustration of a populace that views all political parties as nests of corruption. To break this cycle of apathy, he advocates for consistent aligning political discourse with ethical practice to prove that politics can exist without clientelism. He says he is reconnecting citizens by presenting politics as a necessary tool for solving collective problems rather than a path to personal gain.
A system of “deep inequality”
Martínez describes a political landscape designed to favor incumbents and those with significant financial backing. He points to several systemic barriers:
• Disproportionate spending: Campaign finance limits are often ignored, allowing candidates to deploy millions of pesos without effective oversight, which relegates policy proposals to the background.
• Fiscal Ccnstraints: As a “young” party, OD relies heavily on its membership. Martínez noted that a recent party raffle raised over RD$4 million, a sum exceeding the annual funding the party receives from the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
• The cost of entry: He warns that when millions are required to win a seat, the resulting governance is often compromised by the need to repay donors rather than serving the public interest.
Institutional growth and the 2024 setback
Opción Democrática managed to secure a seat in the 2020-2024 Congress; however, after choosing to run independently in the 2024 elections, the party failed to retain its legislative representation. Despite this, Martínez emphasizes the party’s role as a necessary “counterweight” to the current government’s legislative majority, which he believes has weakened national oversight.
For Martínez, the survival of parties like Opción Democrática is vital to preventing the rise of authoritarianism and ensuring that Dominican democracy remains functional through diverse representation.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
22 April 2026