Sanchez Baret resigns from PRD; His family supports him
Leonor Sanchez Baret said she supported her brother Vicente
SANTO DOMINGO. The desertion of important leaders of the Dominican Revolutionary party (PRD) over quarrels in the handling of the internal affairs of the party continued yesterday with the resignation of Vicente Sanchez Baret, a former party president. It is possible that his decision will also involve the family.
On this issue, Leonor Sanchez Baret, herself one of the highest party leaders and his sister, said that it was possible that she, too, would leave the party.
"Quite simply, I am retiring from my long-time party affiliation, I am calm, I am tranquil with my conscience, since I have contributed as much as I can, I have left a large part of my existence in the fight to establish a democratic regime in this country, one that respects the rights of others," said Sanchez Baret emphatically as he announced his resignation.
The decision by the now former vice-president of the PRD comes after the Organizing Commission for the XXVIII Extraordinary Convention of the PRD emitted a bulletin which gave Bienvenido Lazala (Ñeñe) a victory over the legendary political leader with a 66.55% plurality in the party's primaries to select the candidate for senator from the province of Sanchez Ramirez.
Regarding this bulletin, Sanchez Baret referred to the fact that the PRD has become divided between patricians and plebeians; "the patricians that point out with the pharaonic finger, that of the owner of the party, and the plebeians can't even hope to win."
He complained that individuals were sent to Sanchez Ramirez province with millions of pesos to buy "everyone in the most vulgar and indecent manner, even in the polling stations." Sanchez Baret made it clear that for the moment he has not decided whether he will close ranks with another political party, but his resignation is permanent, because at this time there is a denial of the party ideology, of its clean, transparent and supportive political practice for the neediest.
He said that he was born to serve and he will continue doing so, "not so that anyone in particular benefits from the efforts of all." Sanchez Baret even took down his photograph from the gallery of ex-party presidents.
When she was questioned about this event, his sister Leonor stated: "We are a very united family and where one goes, we all go."
The departure of Sanchez Baret joins that of Deputy Rafael Calderon, who also resigned over differences with the party leadership.
Tolentino Dipp
The president of the Organizing Commission of the XXVIII Convention, Hugo Tolentino Dipp, proposes that the internal tendencies of the party reach an agreement with respect to the provinces of Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo) and Santiago Rodriguez where they have not been able to hold primaries.
He asked Miguel Vargas Maldonado, together with representatives of Hipolito Mejia and Luis Abinader, to reach an agreement so that the candidacies are shared out in an equitable fashion.
The bulletin
According to a bulletin that was released yesterday, Bienvenido Lazala (Ñeñe) has 66.55% of the votes counted against 33.45% for Vicente Sanchez Baret, in the race for the PRD candidacy for senator from the province of Sanchez Ramirez. Another disputed position was that of the mayor's job in the town of Miches, in the province of El Seibo, which was won by Cesarin Hernandez, with 39.08% of the votes, against 36.04% for Ramon Garcia (Chilo).
In the race for the candidacy for the mayor's post in Cotui, the Sanchez Ramirez provincial capital, Montilla got 69.73% of the votes against Julio Landron's 30.26%.
On this issue, Leonor Sanchez Baret, herself one of the highest party leaders and his sister, said that it was possible that she, too, would leave the party.
"Quite simply, I am retiring from my long-time party affiliation, I am calm, I am tranquil with my conscience, since I have contributed as much as I can, I have left a large part of my existence in the fight to establish a democratic regime in this country, one that respects the rights of others," said Sanchez Baret emphatically as he announced his resignation.
The decision by the now former vice-president of the PRD comes after the Organizing Commission for the XXVIII Extraordinary Convention of the PRD emitted a bulletin which gave Bienvenido Lazala (Ñeñe) a victory over the legendary political leader with a 66.55% plurality in the party's primaries to select the candidate for senator from the province of Sanchez Ramirez.
Regarding this bulletin, Sanchez Baret referred to the fact that the PRD has become divided between patricians and plebeians; "the patricians that point out with the pharaonic finger, that of the owner of the party, and the plebeians can't even hope to win."
He complained that individuals were sent to Sanchez Ramirez province with millions of pesos to buy "everyone in the most vulgar and indecent manner, even in the polling stations." Sanchez Baret made it clear that for the moment he has not decided whether he will close ranks with another political party, but his resignation is permanent, because at this time there is a denial of the party ideology, of its clean, transparent and supportive political practice for the neediest.
He said that he was born to serve and he will continue doing so, "not so that anyone in particular benefits from the efforts of all." Sanchez Baret even took down his photograph from the gallery of ex-party presidents.
When she was questioned about this event, his sister Leonor stated: "We are a very united family and where one goes, we all go."
The departure of Sanchez Baret joins that of Deputy Rafael Calderon, who also resigned over differences with the party leadership.
Tolentino Dipp
The president of the Organizing Commission of the XXVIII Convention, Hugo Tolentino Dipp, proposes that the internal tendencies of the party reach an agreement with respect to the provinces of Hermanas Mirabal (Salcedo) and Santiago Rodriguez where they have not been able to hold primaries.
He asked Miguel Vargas Maldonado, together with representatives of Hipolito Mejia and Luis Abinader, to reach an agreement so that the candidacies are shared out in an equitable fashion.
The bulletin
According to a bulletin that was released yesterday, Bienvenido Lazala (Ñeñe) has 66.55% of the votes counted against 33.45% for Vicente Sanchez Baret, in the race for the PRD candidacy for senator from the province of Sanchez Ramirez. Another disputed position was that of the mayor's job in the town of Miches, in the province of El Seibo, which was won by Cesarin Hernandez, with 39.08% of the votes, against 36.04% for Ramon Garcia (Chilo).
In the race for the candidacy for the mayor's post in Cotui, the Sanchez Ramirez provincial capital, Montilla got 69.73% of the votes against Julio Landron's 30.26%.