Ousters widen rift in Dominican Republic’s ruling party

Santo Domingo.- The rift within Dominican Republic’s ruling party (PLD) widened on Mon., with the dismissal of organization secretary, Felix Bautista, and of finance, Víctor Díaz Rúa, both linked to corruption cases and close collaborators of former president Leonel Fernandez.

PLD presidential candidacy hopeful Francisco Domínguez -considered a close collaborator of president Danilo Medina- was the first to request, and then hail the measure.

“Changes do not happen alone. If we sit down to wait for them, they don’t arrive. Therefore, we sent the letter requesting the suspension of Felix Bautista and Díaz Rúa. The change begins in us. The next step forward is to transform this country. It can be done,” Domínguez said.

PLD general secretary, Reinaldo Pared announced the suspension of both senior leaders yesterday afternoon, while the definitive decision will taken by the Political Committee, the party’s top echelon.

The United States Treasury placed Bautista on a corruption blacklist last week accused of embezzling Haiti relief funds, while Díaz was indicted in the Odebrecht graft case.