Dominican leader pulls away from predecessor in ruling party convention

Santo Domingo.- President Danilo Medina is trouncing former president Leonel Fernandez as the vote count by the ruling PLD party’s rank and file advances, to select candidates promoted by both sectors to its Central Committee.

Among the key Medina supporters expected to become members of the PLD’s powerful Central Committee after yesterday’s elections figure Aqueducts Agency (Inapa) director Alberto Holguín and Education Ministry senior official Omar Guevara.

In a statement Monday morning the PLD Congress Organizing Committee says 4.44 percent of the votes cast have been tallied, with 9,782 votes for Holguin and 8,969 for Guevara.

It said among the 10 most voted candidates also figure Sonia Agüero, Sandra Abinader, Luis Ramón Rodriguez, José Laluz, Robert de la Cruz, in addition to President Medina assistant and sister, Aracelis Medina.

During the press conference held at the Olympic Center’s volleyball pavilion, voting pouches from the various provinces were still arriving.