In a Sunday, 25 April 2021 meeting of the former ruling party, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) decided to back the inclusion of the three grounds for abortion in the Penal Code revision. Former President Danilo Medina, who is the president of the PLD, when President vetoed the Penal Code revisions for not including the grounds on two occasions. President Medina, nevertheless, never used his influence and party majority in both houses in Congress, to pass the three exceptions to abortion.
Secretary-general of the PLD, Charlie Marriotti made the announcement. He said the three grounds won with a majority vote of the party executive members.
The Roman Catholic bishop for La Altagracia was prompt to lash back. In a tweet on Monday, 26 April, Bishop Jesus Castro Marte told PLD members: “Do not feel committed to remain in a party that does not represent your values.” The bishop of Higuey called for PLD members to ignore the party line in favor of the three exceptions for abortion.
Thousands of dissidents of the PLD have clustered around the new party founded by former President Leonel Fernandez, the People’s Force. FP deputy Omar Fernández, son of former President, is backing that the criminalizing of abortion be maintained in the Penal Code and an ambiguous wording that would allow abortion to save the life of the mother in extreme cases.
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Listin Diario
26 April 2021