Purge in Dominican Republic’s opposition party seals split

Santo Domingo.- Former Dominican Republic president Hipolito Mejia was expelled Monday during the disciplinary hearing of the opposition PRD party together with another senior leader, a measure likely to divide the powerful organization that has ruled the country in four different occasions.

Mejia spokesman Hector Guzman called the expulsion "insignificant" and announced political actions starting today, including the staging of the next convention and that Mejia will tour the country and communities abroad, to contact the PRD rank and file.

"For us it has no value or care about it. Those people don’t have the legal, moral or political strength to expel anyone from the PRD. That was a tacky show like ‘The People’s Court. Nobody takes Hipolito Mejia out of the PRD nor will he leave, that’s clear," Guzman said.

PRD general secretary Orlando Jorge, who was suspended from the organization for two years, called the measure abusive and unfair.

He said he will not be expelled from the party, “where I was born of its very bowels and I’ve spent over half my life, and what I’ve done is with motherly love, integrity, dignity, humility and respect."

Reading a statement outside party headquarters, Jorge warned that those who seek to expel him aren’t judges, lack legitimacy, impartiality and the objectivity necessary to decide with the truth in their hands. "They are executioners with a precise mandate. Nothing and no one will expel me from this House, which belongs to all the PRD. I make party president Miguel Vargas responsible for what happens here. I was elected by the universal vote of our membership, and only them, the bases exercise sovereignty."

Also expelled was PRD acting president Andres Bautista, whereas Organization secretary Geanilda Vazquez was suspended for two years.