Yet another chapter in the history of internal divisions resulting from the struggle for control of the party was written by the PRD yesterday, Monday 14 January. After a long hearing that started at 10:20am and ended at 9:15pm, after six recesses, the National Disciplinary Council decided to permanently expel former President Hipolito Mejia and interim party president Andres Bautista from the party. The PRD organ also imposed two-year suspensions on general secretary Orlando Jorge Mera and organizational secretary Geanilda Vasquez, stating that this measure would be reviewed every six months.
After hearing their challenges against the members of the Disciplinary Council, Rafael Vasquez, who chaired, Digna Severino, deputy-chair, Maria Sanchez, secretary, Carmen Aleyda Garcia and Ercira Diaz, members, the lawyers for the defendants left the hearing at 6:15pm. Mejia’s lawyers were Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero and Ramon Hernandez Dominguez. Jorge Mera was represented by Eduardo Sanz and Angel Encarnacion, while Vasquez was represented by Andres Lugo and Julio Cury. Andres Bautista’s lawyers were Dario de Jesus and Sigmund Freud Mena.