Santo Domingo.- Temistocles Montas and Radhames Segura, both hopefuls for the ruling PLD party presidential candidacy, on Thursday downplayed former president Leonel Fernández announced bid for the presidency in January or February.
"The only thing I can tell you is that those winds don’t bring down coconuts," said Montas in the National Palace when asked how Fernandez’s presence changes the political scene for the presidential race.
Montas noted that his differences with Fernandez “are only on the political field.”
For Segura, Fernández doesn’t cast fear, and said the also president of the PLD has every right to seek the nomination but noted that anyone who wants to defeat him (Segura) must do so democratically and not trying to exclude him. "I don’t fear the lion (Fernandez), since these are always caged in the zoo."
He said however that Fernandez deserves respect and admiration, because the former president’s administrations "made important contributions to the development of the Dominican people."