President Leonel Fernandez met with New York businessman Donald Trump at his Trump Tower offices in New York. Manuel Jiménez, reporting for Hoy, said that Mr Trump would consider investing large sums in the D.R. According to those present, he told President Fernandez that he has heard a lot about the country.
They met by chance after the president had just left a meeting with Catholic religious and community leaders at 452 Madison Avenue. When his car entered 5th Avenue, he chose to have lunch at the cafeteria in the Trump Tower, and he casually took a table with Juan Marichal, actual minister of sports, but better known for being one of the all-time greats of Major League Baseball.
Mr Trump was in his office on the 24th floor when he “heard”, according to one of those accompanying Dr Fernandez, that the president of the Dominican Republic was having lunch in the bottom floor cafeteria. According to the third party, the meeting of Mr Trump and Dr Fernandez was not planned, but when the former heard the president was in the building he sent for him to say “hello”.
Other sources, however, indicate that it was all pre-arranged. Leonel Fernandez was then escorted via a private elevator to the offices of Mr Trump, according to Juan Delancer, a press assistant, who related the event to Manuel Jimenez of Hoy. They met for some 15 minutes but, unfortunately, there was no photographic record and only a Polaroid shot of the meeting remains, which probably indicates that it was not really planned.
Press representatives who accompanied the president had to remain below. Press spokesman Virgilio Alcantara did, however, go down to seek the official photographer and camera people from RTVD.