El Siglo political analyst Orlando Gil says that the government move to question former President Leonel Fernandez is but a “political show.” He writes that if the government really wanted to investigate irregularities in office, calling two or three government officers would have been enough. “By convening the most important members of the past administration, it is obvious that the intention is to keep people entertained for a few weeks,” he explained. The discredited anti-corruption office of the Presidency requested the presence of Fernandez and 15 cabinet members for questioning regarding a RD$1.4 billion fund. Gil says the strategy could be to put the PLD party on the defensive at a time when surveys show that Fernandez is gaining popularity and the population feels corruption is on the rise in the Mejia administration. “With a badgered PLD, and the tactical support of the Reformistas (PRSC party), the regime considers it has guaranteed governability,” he writes. Gil feels that former President Fernandez’s decision not to appear before Depreco for questioning makes things easier for the authorities who may have lost politically if the investigations did not reveal any proof of corruption. Lito Santana, another political analyst for the newspaper, says the plan to supposedly bury Fernandez politically could have a boomerang effect and serve to make Fernandez an even stronger candidate in the 2004 election.
