Political Maturity in Dominican Republic

By Ernesto Torres Pereyra

Even if the news did not make international headlines on May 16, Dominicans have once again exercised their constitutional right to vote, and they have chosen their President very wisely.

Their decision was distant from political rhetoric, far from abstract consideration of sectarian interest, avoiding being seduced once again by the enchanting sounds of the opposition party's populist song.

Dominicans have deposited their trust in President Leonel Fernandez, who has been given a third opportunity to rule the nation.

The Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) won 53.83 percent of the vote, while the main opposition organization, the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD), gained 40.45 percent.

Due to the lack of confidence in the political system, traditional parties and politicians, in most third world countries, the voter's essential intention is to pick out the lesser of two evils, as to reduce possibilities of experiencing an increase in all the tribulations inherent to our societies, like corruption, insecurity, institutional weakness and poor social services.

Nevertheless, in Fernandez's case, his capacity, competence and goodwill have been put to the test, and he has always delivered.

In 1961, after 30 years of a very charismatic but cruel dictatorship, in the midst of the most torrid episodes of the Cold War, our transition to democracy was a very unique and turbulent process, which generated an amazingly complex sociopolitical structure, whose reality is only paralleled by the bizarre sense of humor exposed in some of Gabriel Garcia Marquez' novels.

Structures of populism, nepotism and corruption were able to endure the test of time, because for decades, traditional leadership after the dictator Rafael Trujillo (1891-1961) and the local establishment encouraged these practices as a way of retaining its power and wealth.

This anachronistic model was suddenly put to an end in 1996, when circumstances made possible for him to become president the first time, carrying out a Herculean task of institutional reform and modernization, as well as economic sanitation and the development of a long term national project.

Dominican people were used to the light and relaxed environment of a banana republic with no global ambitions, consequently, feeling perplexed by this innovative way of government introduced by the PLD.

Thus, in 2000, Dominicans decided to go back to the old scheme, offering another chance to the more traditional populist organization, the Dominican Revolutionary Party, which had failed in their previous experiences while in power during the 1980s, and it failed again.

Their lack of judgment and sense simply pushed the country to the edge of disaster.

A constitutional reform to reinstate re-election pushed by the PRD offered the president another possibility to run for office in 2004, resulting in a landslide.

Why doesn't he adopt a more radical approach when implementing the evident changes required to achieve institutional strengthening for sustainable development?

President Fernandez's wisdom allows him to interpret our sociopolitical and cultural codes.

He has the indispensable tools to comprehend, that as in nature, changes may not come in the form of sudden and violent events, which may transform the landscape with dreadful and sometimes fatal consequences.

He has chosen to proceed gracefully, making sure those changes have a gradual and steady impact, creating the material and intangible foundations for a new and modern Dominican social order.

President Fernandez also enjoys a great deal of credibility and respect within the region, allow me to remind you of his decisive role in the search for a solution to the recent Colombia-Ecuador-Venezuela crisis, during the summit held in Santo Domingo last march.

With regards to Dominican-Korean relations, continuity represents an assurance for the development and improvement of bilateral cooperation in all areas.

The President visited Korea in June 2006, and Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan, will visit our country on June 9-11.

Dominicans have once again shown their determination to follow the guidance of a young, sensitive and gifted leader, whose knowledge of world affairs and extraordinary academic background are an authentic guarantee for the stability of the Dominican Republic, in its role as one the strongest and most promising nations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Ernesto Torres Pereyra is minister counselor at the Dominican Embassy in Seoul.