Ex president calls opposition party unfit to run the country

Santo Domingo.- Former Dominican Republic president Leonel Fernandez, on Sunday railed against the opposition party (PRD), calling it unfit to run the country, for disrespecting the nation and the 200th anniversary of founding father Juan Pablo Duarte’s birth, with the violent clash carried out by rival groups in its headquarters.

"These sectors are definitively disqualified to lead the destiny of the nation, forged with the ideal of Juan Pablo Duarte, Juan Bosch, Ramon Matias Mella and Francisco del Rosario Sanchez of all great patriots who’ve forged the Dominican Republic," the former president said.

Although Fernandez didn’t mention the PRD by name, he noted a sharp contrast with the PLD. He said while his organization was hosting a tribute for Duarte, PRD factions unleashed a violent clash on the same day.

"While the PLD family gathers here in the National Altar hoisting the flag and paying respect to the immortal memory of our Founding Father, there are others who disrespect the patriotic celebrations being unable to erect civilized coexistence," said president of the ruling PLD party.