When interviewed in San Pedro de Macorís, PRD presidential candidate Hipólito Mejía said that the speech of President Fernández did not contribute anything because the President limited himself to present a country in economic bonanza that clashes with the reality that most Dominicans live, characterized by a significant increase in poverty. "President Fernández, like he did in his previous speeches before the National Assembly, again presented the DR as the rich country that only exists in his mind and is different from the reality most Dominicans live," said Mejía. Mejía said that the President’s constant travels abroad have disconnected the statesmen from the bankrupt reality of the national productive sector. He said that the DR is the only country in the world where a gold mine has gone bankrupt (Rosario Mining). He lamented that the President did not refer to the RD$26,000 million internal debt the government maintains with contractors, suppliers, private generators and farm producers that has resulted in the suicide of 18 engineers. Hipólito Mejía is the candidate to beat according to the leading polls. He is regarded as the anti-thesis of President Leonel Fernández where vision of where the country is at and should be headed is concerned. He has repeatedly said that President Fernández is dreaming and that his plans for a Santo Domingo Cyberpark are nothing but utopic.
