Former Minister of Tourism Francisco Javier García clashed with Santiago Mayor Abel Martínez and announced he was resigning the position as campaign manager for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) pre-candidate. Francisco Javier has been behind the successful campaigns of former Presidents Leonel Fernandez and Danilo Medina for the PLD.
The resignation comes at a time when a most recent poll, Mark Penn, reveals that Abel Martinez was in third place in the race with 19%, behind former President Leonel Fernandez (32%) and his Fuerza del Pueblo, and incumbent President Luis Abinader (47%) of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) who is expected to run for reelection.
No single pre-candidate has the 50%+1 needed to win in a first voter round.
In his resignation letter, García said that in an electoral campaign there can be only one plan so that the teams work in the same direction.
Abel Martínez has the strong support of voters in Santiago that value his work as a mayor of that city. Nevertheless, he has not been able to garner the support of key PLD members that have followed Fernandez or are maneuvering to sign with the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) to ensure they keep alive and receiving government money.
El Dia reports there is still time for the PLD to choose a different presidential candidate. The actual election period for the political parties is October 2023.
Likewise, there continues to be talk about a merge between the PLD and the FP, now under Leonel Fernandez.
Political analyst Altagracia Salazar remarks on the difficulties the PLD is confronting after it was weakened with the split between loyalties to former Presidents Danilo Medina and Leonel Fernandez.
Read more:
El Caribe
El Dia
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
Altagracia Salazar Sin Maquillaje
DR1 News
29 May 2023