SANTO DOMINGO.- The president of the Dominican electoral court (JCE) yesterday placed the elections in the hands of the Virgin La Altagracia, and promised that the first bulletin will have enough polling data to allow projecting the winner before midnight May 16.

Julio Cesar Castaños also warned, in response to announcements that some organizations will conduct exit polls, that only the JCE is authorized to offer electoral results and can even manage a radio and TV network for that purpose.

"It’s not that the media are going to be muzzled that day, because the degree of democracy doesn’t allow it, but the Dominican nation should receive only official information; in addition, we don’t have a tradition of exit polls here."

The JCE president said he has placed the entire process in the hands of La Altagracia -who according to the Catholic Church is Dominican Republic’s protector- so she illuminates its judges, its employees of and all involved in the elections. "I’ve consecrated all of it in my prayers to the Virgin La Altagracia," he said, in reference to one of Virgin Mary’s manifestations.