Dominican President’s surprise visits avert “staging”

Santo Domingo.- When president Danilo Medina makes surprise visits to communities, hospitals and other government entities, he does so only with key personnel, because he doesn’t want staging, but to get to know the reality of what he’s observing instead.

His interest is "to be edified and make the best decision," and so those he visits can speak the truth freely and without any pressure.

The explanations by Presidency PR director Roberto Rodriguez came during a breakfast hosted by Medina for reporters, camera operators and photographers who cover the National Palace. He said even he doesn’t know where the President will visit.

Speaking to reporters, Medina said only one person knows the place where he’s going and that’s for safety reasons, because otherwise the officials would filter information.

During the National Palace breakfast, the head of state spoke with the members of the media casually and broke bread and sipped hot chocolate, a Dominican tradition.