Although a full month has passed since the general elections in the country, all the candidates have still not been announced, complaints are still being submitted to the Superior Electoral Court (TSE) and the opposition still denouncing cases of fraud. The Central Electoral Board (JCE) has not announced all of the winners and there is an ongoing covert internal battle between the followers of President Danilo Medina and former President Leonel Fernandez.
Once the candidates are proclaimed it is thought the debate will continue in the National Congress over the transparency of the election. Article 120 of the Constitution states that one of the functions of the National Assembly that unites both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies is to examine the results of the President and Vice President of the Republic and swear them into office.
Although the TSE has heard several complaints and still has several more to hear, any recounts have not changed the results that favor the ruling PLD and which were issued in 14 bulletins from the JCE. The opposition continues to dispute decisions for the municipalities Santo Domingo province and the National District.
The six opposition presidential candidates Luis Abinader, Guillermo Moreno, Minou Tavarez, Pelegrin Castillo, Elias Wessin Chavez and Soraya Aquino, used the occasion of the 46th Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) to complain to the Secretary General Luis Almagro about the supposed fraud committed by the PLD and President Medina to hold onto power after the 15 May 2016 elections. They have also warned that they will take their complaints to as many international forums as they can.
Following the elections, in which Medina became the President elected with the highest number of votes in the country’s history, followers of Fernandez are accusing Medina of asking people to vote against Fernandez’ candidates.
Throughout the country people now are becoming weary of the whole process and they have no idea when the definitive candidates will be announced and if there will be more changes. In the meantime the opposition is still calling for new elections in many voting districts.
