Santo Domingo.- In an unpresented development the CentralElectoral Board (JCE) on Wednesday publicly reprimanded the government forusing State resources to promote president Danilo Medina’s reelection bid, by postingcomments and photos on the Presidency’s Twitter account.
It also warned against the use of websites, Twitter,Facebook or any other social network by government agencies or theiradministrators to spread messages or images identified with a candidate,political party or organization, whether openly or subliminally, directly orindirectly.
This measure responds to deputy Vinicio Castillo’s complaintlast Friday in a letter he sent to the JCE over the use of the Presidency’sTwitter account by spokesman Roberto Rodriguez Marchena, citing a tweet promotingMedina’s candidacy.
The JCE ordered its various departments to report on the variousmedia either State owned or managed, and suggest ways to allow equal access tothe political parties.
Humble pie
For his part, Rodriguez Marchena on Wednesday accepted the "publicreprimand" with "humility," for politicking with the Presidency’sofficial tweets.
"We at the Presidency Communications Department humblyaccept the ruling of the Central Electoral Board. We do it with all humility,if this is understood as a mistake, we must admit it was a mistake, asunderstood. We understand it was not, but if the Board understood it as such weaccept in all humility and with all the discipline, because in the midst of anelectoral process and ahead of elections that will take place on May 15, all ofus the citizens seek the strength and prestige of the court to deliberate, toorganize the administrative process, in this case the JCE and also the SuperiorElectoral Tribunal."