PRD pre-Presidential candidate Rafael “Fello” Subervi Bonilla has said that in his view the current problems in his party are political, not legal, and that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) was wrong to validate the results of the so-called PPH convention last Sunday, which saw President Hipolito Mejia obtain an overwhelming victory over a political ally, Frank Joseph Thomen. The JCE’s declaration was made in advance of the party’s own electoral organizing committee, said Subervi, who with Milagros Ortiz Bosch and Enmanuel Esquea Guerrero withdrew from the convention, suspecting it to be fraudulent. He expressed some guarded optimism for party unity, however: “Reality says that we must join together. I don’t feel frustrated by anything, because politics has its ups and downs, and what I seek is that the PRD is unified going into the elections, whatever sacrifice that implies.” At the same time, he voiced support for the Ley de Lemas, saying it was the only solution to the PRD’s problems. Fello also criticized former President Salvador Jorge Blanco as “unqualified to lead a convention that would change the party’s direction.” He was referring to the planned PRD convention on 31 January in which Hipolito Mejia will be declared the party’s official candidate.