Medina’s cabinet picks herald ruling party rift

Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina’s cabinet picks tostart his second term sends a clear signal that he’ll work with his close collaboratorsby pushing aside those officials linked to president Leonel Fernandez’s factionwithin the ruling PLD party.

Medina left out of his cabinet numerous PLD leaders includingCesar Pina; Bautista Rojas and Ligia Melo, close collators of Fernandez.

He did however confirm in their posts the ministers JoseRamon Peralta, Administrative; Gonzalo Castill in Public Works; GustavoMontalvo, chief of staff and Roberto Rodriguez, as PR director, all of them inhis inner circle.

With the removals and confirmations Medina sends a signalto Fernandez, president of the PLD, that his likely successor in office willemerge from his political circle, which Fernandez will have to face for the PLDcandidacy in the 2020 election.