Abel Martínez, the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), has criticized the Rescate RD alliance as a negative experience for his party. In a speech to members and community leaders in La Otra Banda, Martínez described the coalition as a “resaca RD” – a hangover rather than a rescue – citing its poor conception and negotiation. “Rescate RD was a poorly made, poorly structured alliance where the PLD and its candidates at all levels were the victims of bad negotiations,” Martínez said. He blamed the arrangement for the party’s losses in the national congress and in municipal governments, noting that the PLD lost senators, deputies and many mayoral seats across the country. The candidate called on the PLD and the Fuerza del Pueblo to negotiate directly if a future electoral alliance is considered, whether for a particular level of election or for a potential second round. “The major parties should lead any agreement and avoid being arbitrated by minor parties, as happened in the past process,” he said. Martínez added that minor parties may join the main agreement, but they should not manage the alliance between the two major parties. “If minor parties want to join the big agreement, welcome them, but they cannot be the ones to handle an alliance between two major parties that should have the maturity, sense and political strategy to sit directly,” he said. He emphasized that any future understanding between the PLD and the Fuerza del Pueblo must be based on direct negotiation, clear rules and a common strategy, so that agreements reflect the interests of the parties involved and avoid repeating past mistakes.
Article source: De Ultimo Minuto | Image credit: De Ultimo Minuto