Almost a month has gone by since Gonzalo Castillo resigned as Minister of Public Works and Communications. So far, President Danilo Medina has not named his replacement.
Castillo resigned on 31 July when he announced he wanted to run for President for the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). He says he is the best man to continue the work of President Danilo Medina. Castillo had waited until President Danilo Medina addressed the nation on 22 July 2019 to say he would not seek a second reelection.
Gonzalo Castillo was the last of four Medina cabinet ministers to resign to campaign for the Presidency. In April 2018, the first was Francisco Domínguez Brito, then minister of Environment. He was followed by Carlos Amarante Baret, who left the Ministry of Interior & Police in May 2018. Andrés Navarro was third, when he resigned as Minister of Education in February of this year.
Castillo’s announcement was not well received by the so-called group of six. These are Reinaldo Pared Pérez, Carlos Amarante Baret, Francisco Domínguez Brito, Andrés Navarro, Radhamés Segura and Juan Temístocles Montás. They have agreed to carry out three polls to determine who is best positioned to compete against former President Leonel Fernandez in the PLD primary on 6 October. Fernández is the leader of a dissident group within the PLD.
Amarante Baret, although not accusing Castillo directly, has complained that the Ministry of Public Works has threatened that those mayors who do not support Castillo will not have the roads in their municipality repaired or resurfaced.
The opposition party, the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) has complained Castillo has billboards and other resources that violate the Political Parties Law.
These complaints do not seem to concern Castillo, who has been holding meetings across the country. Castillo says he embodies the “new blood” that President Danilo Medina in his speech announcing he would not seek reelection said the country needs.
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Listin Diario
27 August 2019