Eduardo Estrella, the politician who lives without luxury
"Thank God I have never used assets of the State or had contracts with the State."
Diario Libre
SANTIAGO. Eduardo Estrella's children have pushed for the family to move to a bigger house and leave the dwelling place where the politician lived when he was little. The same residence the returned to in 1985 when he got married, in which he continued living when he served as a Senator and Secretary of Public Works, and where today he is working on his dream of becoming the President of the Republic in his third try.
"I believe that in a home the most important thing is not the size of the house, but rather the unity and the quality with which the family live. I tell them (the children): ‘But you guys are just three, and when we lived here with Papa and Mama we fit in five children'," related the candidate of Dominican for Change (DxC).
On a lot of 300 meters, Estrella, 58, does not exhibit any luxury that arouse the neighbors in the Jardines Metropolitanos who find it strange that in their midst there lives a politician, former high ranking official and disciple of the deceased former President Joaquin Balaguer. He moves among the neighbors like a common citizen, going so far to show this friendliness which is one of his trademarks so that last year he was assaulted in front of his house when the thought that the criminals were looking for help.
Estervina Gil has spent 40 of her 90 years knowing the Estrella family. Her children went to school with Eduardo. She remembers him as a good and quiet student. "He is very serious, honest, we love him a lot, we have never argued over anything," she says.
Also, she says that many might ask why the candidate still lives in his house. "A lot of people take notice because he really does not have much interest in moving; what he wants is what is best for the country," she said.
Faith and morals
Eduardo Estrella defines himself as a believer in God and a Catholic. He was an altar boy. He goes to Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church (Politécnico) with his family.
A photograph greeting Pope John Paul II and images of Our Lady of High Grace and of the Baby Jesus decorate part of the house, a place where Thursday Prayer Days are held by his wife Arelys Cruz de Estrella.
His character was influenced by his father, Major General Guarionex Estrella Sadhala and his mother, Mabel Elisa Virella de Estrella.
"My father taught us principles and a rigid, firm morality with regard to honesty and loyalty," he says. People who know him agree on this point. They say that his morality was inherited from his father, a career military man that served during the tyranny of Trujillo and kept his integrity.
After the fall of the dictatorship, Guarionex Estrella suffered severe torture, motivated in part by the role his brother Salvador Estrella Sadhala played in the plot against Trujillo. This caused Eduardo and his family to be persecuted.
The political engineer
On 5 June 1953, Santiago de los Caballeros witnessed the birth of the fourth of five brothers and sisters. He would be able to study in Calasanz School in Santo Domingo, and La Salle in Santiago. He would go to the National Autonomous University of Mexico to graduate as a Civil Engineer with honors.
Estrella defended his support of the former President Joaquin Balaguer during his university years in Mexico, and was appointed (1972) a secretary, Second Class, at the Dominican Embassy.
Today he says that in his administration he would take the good things from his teacher, such as housing construction, immigration controls and a reduction of the foreign debt.
His motivation for politics took him to serve as the Substitute Mayor of Santiago (1986-1990); Under Secretary of Public Works (1986-1900); Director of the National Institute of Water and Sewers (Inapa) (1990-1991); Secretary of Public Works (Seopc) (1991-1994) and Senator for Santiago (1994-1998).
His closest friends say that Eduardo has never been touched by administrative corruption. A friend who preferred not to use his name, reminded Diario Libre: "The last time I had a professional relationship with him was when he was building HOMS (The Metropolitan Hospital of Santiago) and he was the contractor; he was the builder of this private institution. As soon as the government made a donation and became a shareholder, he dropped the construction. Few people would do this in this country."
The National Directorate for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption does not have in its files any sort of sworn statement of assets from Estrella. Nonetheless, the candidate does cite his company "Edificaciones y Construcciones Pesadas" and he says that he has about 20% of the shares in the family company "Inversora Mabel Eliza."
"Thank God I have never taken advantage of assets of the State nor contracts from the State," he says. He emphasizes that this has allowed him to speak "as harsh as he has" no matter what.
In his constant search to arrive at leading the nation, he stood for election the first time in 2004, supported by the Social Christian Reformist Party, obtaining 312,493 votes, 8.65%. The second time was in 2008, when he was nominated by the coalition called "Cuarta Via" -the Fourth Way-made up of the Social Democrat Revolutionary (PRSD), Dominican Humanist (PHD), the National Movement of an Organized Front (FRENO) and the Dominicans for Change Movement (DxC) parties. He obtained 19,309 votes for 0.47%. For 2012, he is running for office with the support of the Dominicans for Change (DxC) a party he founded two years ago.
Family life
While Eduardo talks about his campaign, his wife comes and goes from the kitchen to leave something on the table to snack halfway through the morning. Just commenting on the culinary talents of his wife brings a mocking smile to his face as he says that it was he that taught her how to cook."When I got married my wife did not know how to cook and I was the one who taught her, because I studied overseas and he who studies overseas has to learn everything," he said.
Arelys recalls that she met the political leader in a get together with friends and he immediately took to her. She stressed his gifts of being a gentleman which resulted in his being a bachelor with many followers.
Both are the parents of Paula Isabel, 26 and a doctor; Eduardo Guarionex, 23, and a student of Civil Engineering and Mabel Eliza, 20, a student of Arquitecture.
Estrella's constant political commitments have managed to interrupt his presence in the home and on occasion his wife has had to take the reins. Faced with the question of how has her marriage been, she said: "Fine, thank God, although we have not had (Eduardo) here all the time."
Eduardo without a tie
A game of dominoes, dancing, and listening to Marco Antonio Muñiz or to Juan Luis Guerra at the activities that rest the mind of Eduardo Estrella, the presidential candidate. He also likes to have cook outs with his children and his friends.
Estervina, Eduardo's neighbor, is not afraid that power would corrupt this man that she knew when he was a boy, if he were to become President."I am sure that he would be fine, that if he wins he will be very good for the Republic," she concluded.
"I believe that in a home the most important thing is not the size of the house, but rather the unity and the quality with which the family live. I tell them (the children): ‘But you guys are just three, and when we lived here with Papa and Mama we fit in five children'," related the candidate of Dominican for Change (DxC).
On a lot of 300 meters, Estrella, 58, does not exhibit any luxury that arouse the neighbors in the Jardines Metropolitanos who find it strange that in their midst there lives a politician, former high ranking official and disciple of the deceased former President Joaquin Balaguer. He moves among the neighbors like a common citizen, going so far to show this friendliness which is one of his trademarks so that last year he was assaulted in front of his house when the thought that the criminals were looking for help.
Estervina Gil has spent 40 of her 90 years knowing the Estrella family. Her children went to school with Eduardo. She remembers him as a good and quiet student. "He is very serious, honest, we love him a lot, we have never argued over anything," she says.
Also, she says that many might ask why the candidate still lives in his house. "A lot of people take notice because he really does not have much interest in moving; what he wants is what is best for the country," she said.
Faith and morals
Eduardo Estrella defines himself as a believer in God and a Catholic. He was an altar boy. He goes to Mass at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church (Politécnico) with his family.
A photograph greeting Pope John Paul II and images of Our Lady of High Grace and of the Baby Jesus decorate part of the house, a place where Thursday Prayer Days are held by his wife Arelys Cruz de Estrella.
His character was influenced by his father, Major General Guarionex Estrella Sadhala and his mother, Mabel Elisa Virella de Estrella.
"My father taught us principles and a rigid, firm morality with regard to honesty and loyalty," he says. People who know him agree on this point. They say that his morality was inherited from his father, a career military man that served during the tyranny of Trujillo and kept his integrity.
After the fall of the dictatorship, Guarionex Estrella suffered severe torture, motivated in part by the role his brother Salvador Estrella Sadhala played in the plot against Trujillo. This caused Eduardo and his family to be persecuted.
The political engineer
On 5 June 1953, Santiago de los Caballeros witnessed the birth of the fourth of five brothers and sisters. He would be able to study in Calasanz School in Santo Domingo, and La Salle in Santiago. He would go to the National Autonomous University of Mexico to graduate as a Civil Engineer with honors.
Estrella defended his support of the former President Joaquin Balaguer during his university years in Mexico, and was appointed (1972) a secretary, Second Class, at the Dominican Embassy.
Today he says that in his administration he would take the good things from his teacher, such as housing construction, immigration controls and a reduction of the foreign debt.
His motivation for politics took him to serve as the Substitute Mayor of Santiago (1986-1990); Under Secretary of Public Works (1986-1900); Director of the National Institute of Water and Sewers (Inapa) (1990-1991); Secretary of Public Works (Seopc) (1991-1994) and Senator for Santiago (1994-1998).
His closest friends say that Eduardo has never been touched by administrative corruption. A friend who preferred not to use his name, reminded Diario Libre: "The last time I had a professional relationship with him was when he was building HOMS (The Metropolitan Hospital of Santiago) and he was the contractor; he was the builder of this private institution. As soon as the government made a donation and became a shareholder, he dropped the construction. Few people would do this in this country."
The National Directorate for the Persecution of Administrative Corruption does not have in its files any sort of sworn statement of assets from Estrella. Nonetheless, the candidate does cite his company "Edificaciones y Construcciones Pesadas" and he says that he has about 20% of the shares in the family company "Inversora Mabel Eliza."
"Thank God I have never taken advantage of assets of the State nor contracts from the State," he says. He emphasizes that this has allowed him to speak "as harsh as he has" no matter what.
In his constant search to arrive at leading the nation, he stood for election the first time in 2004, supported by the Social Christian Reformist Party, obtaining 312,493 votes, 8.65%. The second time was in 2008, when he was nominated by the coalition called "Cuarta Via" -the Fourth Way-made up of the Social Democrat Revolutionary (PRSD), Dominican Humanist (PHD), the National Movement of an Organized Front (FRENO) and the Dominicans for Change Movement (DxC) parties. He obtained 19,309 votes for 0.47%. For 2012, he is running for office with the support of the Dominicans for Change (DxC) a party he founded two years ago.
Family life
While Eduardo talks about his campaign, his wife comes and goes from the kitchen to leave something on the table to snack halfway through the morning. Just commenting on the culinary talents of his wife brings a mocking smile to his face as he says that it was he that taught her how to cook."When I got married my wife did not know how to cook and I was the one who taught her, because I studied overseas and he who studies overseas has to learn everything," he said.
Arelys recalls that she met the political leader in a get together with friends and he immediately took to her. She stressed his gifts of being a gentleman which resulted in his being a bachelor with many followers.
Both are the parents of Paula Isabel, 26 and a doctor; Eduardo Guarionex, 23, and a student of Civil Engineering and Mabel Eliza, 20, a student of Arquitecture.
Estrella's constant political commitments have managed to interrupt his presence in the home and on occasion his wife has had to take the reins. Faced with the question of how has her marriage been, she said: "Fine, thank God, although we have not had (Eduardo) here all the time."
Eduardo without a tie
A game of dominoes, dancing, and listening to Marco Antonio Muñiz or to Juan Luis Guerra at the activities that rest the mind of Eduardo Estrella, the presidential candidate. He also likes to have cook outs with his children and his friends.
Estervina, Eduardo's neighbor, is not afraid that power would corrupt this man that she knew when he was a boy, if he were to become President."I am sure that he would be fine, that if he wins he will be very good for the Republic," she concluded.
Diario Libre
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