Peggy Cabral, widow of late PRD leader Jos? Francisco Pe?a Gomez, and former President Salvador Jorge Blanco have not taken sides in the re-election debate. In a joint statement released yesterday with other prominent party figures, their position was non-committal, not going beyond expressing concern for the situation and its possible adverse effects on the party. Presidential Legal Advisor Guido Gomez Mazara, who is a leading supporter of the President’s re-election ambitions, commented that the deliberations within the party could only benefit the opposition. The most crucial element in this controversy is the actual legality of the President’s bid. According to some experts he was elected under a Constitution that prohibited re-election and therefore cannot legally stand again. Supreme Court president Jorge Subero Isa for his part reminded reporters that judges are forbidden by law to provide advice on political matters and that they had not done so in this case, either. Agriculture Minister Eligio J?quez, another staunch supporter of a second term for Mej?a, claimed that Supreme Court judges had been consulted “on an individual basis”. Opponents of re-election within the party are arguing that the PRD?s governing laws do not allow a ruling President to stand for a second term. Party president Hatuey Decamps gave a third and final address on the issue, again featuring the words of Pe?a Gomez, and called on party faithfuls to reflect on the situation as the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of Pe?a’s death approaches on 10 May. Quoted in Hoy, Decamps recalled that President Hip?lito Mej?a had assured him that he would not seek re-election as recently as one month ago.