DOMINICAN POLITICS III #2: PRD: DEFEAT, THE

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002769 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD; TREASURY FOR OASIA-JLEVINE; DEPT PASS USDA FOR FAS; USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION; USDOC FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: DR PGOV PREL SUBJECT: DOMINICAN POLITICS III #2: PRD: DEFEAT, THE PRELIMINARY TO RENEWAL ¶1. This is the second cable in our series on Dominican politics in the third year of the administration of President Leonel Fernandez. PRD: Defeat, the Preliminary to Renewal - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (SBU) The decisive defeat of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) in the May congressional elections ended its eight-year dominiation of Congress. In response, the leadership of President Ramon Albuquerque and Secretary General Orlando Jorge organized country-wide consultations at provincial levels on August 13 and a two-day self-examination at the executive level on August 22-23. This followed close on the political committee's decision to set for November 12 the convention to choose a presidential candidate. PRD Secretary-General Orlando Jorge Mera, young but confident and composed, outlined the process to poloffs on August 24. The Setback - - - - - - - - - - (SBU) The populist PRD has held the presidency on four occasions since 1963, despite the machinations of Joaquin Balaguer and his PRSC, and the currently ruling PLD was established by Juan Bosch in the 1970's as a PRD breakaway. The May defeat was all the more bitter for that history. PRD presence in the 32-seat Senate fell from 91 percent to 19 percent; in the enlarged House, the party dropped from 48 percent to 34 percent. The "Grand Alliance" with the PRSC probably served to avoid humiliation in other races, where the reformistas would have out-polled the PRD. Every seat lost by the PRD was picked up by the PLD, which now holds majorities of 69 percent in the Senate and 54 percent in the House. Renovation - - - - - - - - (SBU) Receiving poloffs in his personal office on August 24, PRD Secretary-General Orlando Jorge Mera evidenced a confidence and poise that belied his age of 39. After the elections some members had called for the resignations of Jorge and of PRD President Ramon Alburquerque, but those recriminations did not last long. Jorge expects to serve a full four-year term, to mid-2009. Jorge said that the party had initiated a comprehensive examination of its structures, statutes and strategy. On August 13, open-ended party discussions were were held in each of the country's 32 provinces. Representatives took input from those gatherings to a two-day closed-door national level seminar last week in Santo Domingo. Among topics raised were the long tradition of personalism and top-down decision-making, clientism, the lack of political training, and the often divisive rivalries within the party. Convention - - - - - - - - (SBU) Jorge confirmed that the PRD,s National Executive Committee has agreed to hold a convention on November 12 to nominate the candidate for the 2008 presidential elections. This date would be very early by Dominican standards, with the goal of uniting the party and strengthening its chances for 2008. Several old-line PRD leaders, including former Vice President Milagros Ortiz Bosch and Rafael Abinader, have criticized this approach, declaring themselves a "unified faction." Jorge acknowledged that supporters of former Public Works Minister Miguel Vargas Maldonado were the strongest advocates of the early vote. "We are talking with the opponents," he said, "and this is a democratic process." Jorge confirmed that Vargas is leading internal polls; today, August 25, newspapers carried the announcement of Vargas' formal campaign committee, which includes Peggy Cabral, the influential widow of the late PRD hero Francisco Pena Gomez. A recent poll of the general public by Gallup and the newspaper "Hoy" showed Ortiz Bosch leading Vargas 18 to 12 percent. Congress - - - - - - - (SBU) Jorge said that the party's self-study will culminate early in 2007 with the "first ever" PRD National Congress. This will be the event used to recast the statutes, to use the results of discussions to elaborate a formal campaign platform, and probably to inaugurate the presidential candidacy. Bio Notes - - - - - - - (U) Orlando Jorge Mera is the son of former President Salvador Jorge Blanco, who served from 1982-86. Born in Santiago, Dominican Republic, he graduated with a degree in law from the catholic university PUCMM in 1991. He and his wife Patricia Villegas operate a joint law practice. President Hipolito Mejia appointed Jorge Mera director of telecoms agency INDOTEL, where Jorge was involved in Dominican participation in the ITU-sponsored "World Summit on the Information Society." Jorge spoke of a new, younger generation in the PRD oriented toward uniting and modernizing their party. He writes weekly opinion pieces in El Caribe newspaper and has published studies on intellectual property and telecommunications law. Since electionas PRD Secretary General in June, 2005, he has taken a high profile but non-controversial position as de facto spokesman. (U) Jorge studied English at Georgetown University briefly in the 1980's but did not continue in the United States: "It was a difficult time for my family." (Elected again in 1986, Joaquin Balaguer relentlessly prosecuted Salvador Jorge Blanco on corruption charges.) Embassy officers have spoken to him about participation in a U.S. International Visitor Program, but, he says, "I've never had the time." Comment - - - - - - - (SBU) As the largest and most credible opposition party, the PRD has a key role to play in Dominican democracy. The plans for a party congress to undertake reform -- or at least to make revisions -- suggest a positive move toward institutionalizing an entity that traditionally has been a grab bag of contending ambitions and rent-seekers. In the meeting, Jorge spoke soberly and realistically, exhibiting no signs of defeatism. He said that the next few months are a "golden moment" for the party. ¶2. (U) Drafted by Peter Hemsch. ¶3. (U) This report and extensive other material can be consulted on our SIPIRNET site, http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/ . BULLEN