Dominican Republic Elections 2020

WMHSMUN XXXIV

Dominican Republic Elections 2020

Background Guide

“Unprecedented committees. Unparalleled debate. Unmatched fun.” Letters From the Directors

Dear Delegates,

Hi, everyone! My name is Hannah Dahl and I am your Committee Director for the 2020 Dominican Republic Elections! I’m so excited for my first opportunity to direct a WMHSMUN committee! Alondra and I have been working together these last few months to craft an engaging and interesting committee for you all, so it’s my hope that your experience here will push you to find meaningful connections with the world around you and answers for the issues within it.

Here at William and Mary, I am a sophomore and Biology major from Newport News, Virginia. I did Model UN in high school, so last fall I joined the International Relations Club and have been enthusiastic about its work ever since. Outside of IRC, I am a part of RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) and Tribe Scribes (a calligraphy club!). If I’m not hanging out with friends and debating the best breakfast foods, you can find me hammocking, drinking coffee, and/or making niche Spotify playlists.

With regards to this committee, Alondra and I are looking for delegates who are able to cleverly craft crisis arcs that drive debate while being positive and welcoming to other delegates in the room. The 2020 Dominican Republic elections are important because of ongoing relations with the United States and considerations as to how the President will handle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the weekend, your skills to defend the candidate of your choice will truly impact the future of the Dominican Republic and possibly the world of International Relations.

Please feel free to reach out to myself or Alondra with any questions you may have about the committee, and we will do our best to answer them. We are so excited to welcome you to (virtual) WMHSMUN soon!

Hannah Dahl [email protected]

Background Guide – Dominican Republic Elections

Dear Delegates,

Hello everyone! My name is Alondra Belford, and it is my pleasure to welcome you all to the first virtual iteration of WMHSMUN! I am so ecstatic for my second (and unfortunately last) time crisis directing! As someone with a heavy interest in Latin American politics, the Dominican Republic election of 2020 is something I followed fairly closely. I am so excited to work with Hannah to create an engaging and wonderful experience for you all!

Here is some information about me: I am a rising senior from Virginia Beach, VA and am double majoring in Government and Global Studies with a concentration in Latin American Studies (big surprise) with an unofficial minor in Hispanic Studies. I joined the International Relations Club in the spring semester of my sophomore year, and I never looked back. The friends and memories that I have made in my time in Model UN have been priceless, and I am excited for you all to make memories through our committee this year. In my free time, you can find me binge watching Criminal Minds on Netflix or eating copious amounts of Chipotle.

In terms of this committee specifically, I am looking for creativity and thought in your crisis arcs. I understand that circumstances are different now with the ongoing pandemic, but I hope we are still all able to have a quality conference with interesting and surprising arcs. The 2020 Dominican Republican Election is so important because there will be a new president in office and the future of the Dominican Republic is in the hands of who the people decide to elect. Your characters will be formatted so that each of you supports at least one of the candidates for President. Be sure to think about inventive and creative ideas to get your preferred candidate elected into office! Your decisions could influence the future of the Dominican Republic!

I am always available to help. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me. I look forward to seeing you all (virtually) soon!

Alondra Belford [email protected]

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Introduction

This committee begins in April 2020. The six candidates are all registered and have been campaigning for the presidency. The 2020 election is important internationally as the Dominican Republic has had heightened tensions with the United States since former President Medina broke diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favor of China. The candidates have various positions on their relationships with China, Taiwan, and the United States. Domestically, there are questions about how the elected President will handle issues such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and rumors of corruption within the Dominican government. During the 2020 elections, there were several rumors of fraud with the initial elections. This led to uproar from the general public and subsequent protests demanding a democratic government. As members of the Dominican government, it is your job to advocate for the candidate that most aligns with your political values to ensure the future success of the Dominican Republic.

Topic 1: Presidential Candidates

Introduction

For the 2020 elections, there are six registered candidates: Luis Abinader, Gonzalo Castillo, Leonel Fernández, Guillermo Moreno García, Juan Cohen, and Ismael Reyes Cruz. In addition to the president and the vice president, 190 deputies to the Chamber of Deputies and 32 senators to the Chamber of Senators will be determined through this election. In terms of debate, the dais will be looking for how you are able to properly argue for the candidate of your choice based on their stances on the most important issues to Dominican citizens. Before diving into the presidential candidates and their stances on important issues, it is first necessary to understand the structure of the Dominican government, as their structure differs from the United States.

Structure of Dominican Government

One is eligible to vote in elections in the Dominican Republic if they are at least 18 years of age with no previous criminal record for any sort of conspiracy against the country. Further, voters cannot be members of the national police or the armed forces. One is eligible to run for the President of the Dominican Republic if they are at least 30 years of age, have not previously served in the armed forces or

3 Background Guide – Dominican Republic Elections the police at least one year prior to their election. All candidates must possess all political and civil rights, meaning that they cannot be imprisoned at any point or any other violations that may eliminate their candidacy. As per the constitution, elected presidents have an extensive list of powers which include, but are not limited to, the appointments and removals of other elected officials, the ability to command and deploy the armed forces, and the power to eliminate basic civil and political rights in times of emergency. Similar to the United States, the Dominican Republic government is divided into the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The legislative branch is divided into the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. The Senate consists of 32 members that are elected through plurality votes, meaning that candidates receive more votes than any other candidate but is less than 50% of the total votes cast. The Chamber of Deputies consists of 178 members elected through an open-list proportional representation system, meaning that voters cannot only vote for their preferred political party, but their preferred candidate within that political party. All members of Congress serve four-year terms. The judicial branch is made up of the Supreme Court, similar to the United States, which listens to the actions of Congress and the president to determine the constitutionality of these actions. The 16 members of the Supreme Court and other court judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary. The sole role of this National Council is to appoint and approve judges on the circuit. Unlike the United States, Supreme Court judges serve seven-year terms, while other constitutional court judges serve nine-year terms. The executive branch of the Dominican Republic is almost exactly similar to that of the United States, consisting of the president, who appoints his cabinet. Further, the president serves as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and executes laws passed by Congress. The president, like members of Congress, serves four-year terms. The largest difference between the executive branch of the Dominican Republic and the United States is the process by which the president is elected. Elections in the Dominican Republic are fairly straightforward: the candidate who receives 50% +1 of the votes wins the election. If a candidate does not achieve the majority votes, a runoff election will be held between the top two candidates until a winner is determined. The Dominican Republic has two primary political parties: The Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) and the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). The PLD has been dominating presidential elections, having successfully elected a presidential candidate for 16 of the previous 20 years.

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Current Presidential Candidates

Below is a list of presidential candidates, with brief descriptions of their previous careers prior to running for president, as well as some of their stances on important issues. As supporting members of these candidates, you will most likely agree with at least one of these political candidates and should structure your debate around these points.

Luis Abinader → Luis Abinader was born in 1967 in the capital city of Santo Domingo. His father, José Rafael Abinader, was a Senator in Dominican Congress. He is running for president with the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). His platform, under the slogan “A Country for Its People,” has the following policies: The promotion of an equal distribution of income for all citizens, the advancement of police reform to help with crime rates, addressing corruption by hiring an independent attorney general, and addressing gender discrimination. Abinader has never held a political office, working as a businessman prior to the 2020 elections. He is considered a member of the opposition party.

Gonzalo Castillo → Gonzalo Castillo is a member of the dominating Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). Prior to seeking the nomination for the PLD, Castillo was the Minister of Public Works and Communications and Minister of Tourism in the Dominican Cabinet under former President Danilo Medina. As a member of the PLD, Castillo supports strengthening ties internationally, also favoring previous military invasions and alliances with China.

Leonel Fernández → Leonel Fernández is a member of the People’s Force Party, which was formerly known as the Dominican Workers Party. Fernández was first elected as President in 1996, serving two separate terms from 1996-2000 and again from 2004-2012. During his terms as President, he focused on international affairs and improving the overall economy. He hopes that, if elected, he can continue on policies that he worked on during his previous presidencies.

Guillermo Moreno García → Guillermo Moreno García is a member and current president of the Institutional Democratic Party. García’s campaign focuses on making the Dominican Republic increasingly democratic with the ultimate goal of eliminating political corruption. García’s focus is also on lowering the national debt and improving social security.

Juan Cohen → Juan Cohen is a member and current president of the National Citizen Will Party (PNVC). Prior to his work with the PNVC, Cohen was an economist, the president of the Commission on

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Tourism and the Deputy of the Central American Parliament. Cohen believes in issues such as Social Conservatism and Christian Democracy.

Ismael Reyes Cruz → Ismael Reyes Cruz is a member and current President of the Institutional Democratic Party. Reyes insists that there is no democracy left in the Dominican Republic and believes in top-down reorganization of the country. Further, Reyes wants to focus on issues of unemployment and agricultural production.

Topic 2: Major Issues for Debate

With ongoing foreign affairs between different countries and the growing danger of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that the political candidates take a stance on certain political issues that could ultimately affect the entire Dominican Republic. Below are three of the key issues that you all will need to debate and why the position of your candidate is best.

COVID-19 Pandemic → Arguably the most important issue at this time, the COVID-19 pandemic has dominated news headlines and has uprooted the personal lives of millions of people around the world. The Dominican Republic is no exception to this. The first positive case was confirmed in early March 2020. As of April 2020 (the start date of the committee), the Dominican Republic was the most affected country in the Caribbean by the pandemic. With more than 8,400 confirmed cases and approximately 350 deaths in a little over a month, there is a great concern about how the government will respond to the growing pandemic. There is talk about pushing the elections back to allow the overall number of cases to decrease, but nothing has been confirmed yet.

Key Questions for Debate: 1. Should the Dominican Republic increase testing rates? 2. Should the country go into lockdown? 3. Should the elections be pushed back for the first time in Dominican history?

Political Corruption → In general, Latin America and the Caribbean has come under a lot of scrutiny for political corruption, particularly around elections. According to previous studies, nearly 1 out of every 4 people in this region have been offered some sort of bribes in exchange for votes. Again, the Dominican Republic is no exception to this. In the Dominican Republic specifically, approximately 46% of

6 Background Guide – Dominican Republic Elections citizens have participated in some form of vote-buying which is one of the highest rates in Latin America and the Caribbean. In February and March 2020, there were several protests from Dominican citizens who believed that their votes were not counted fairly. Many people are concerned about voting in the upcoming elections, wondering whether or not the Dominican Republic is truly a democratic nation.

Key Questions for Debate: 1. How can the Dominican Republic reduce the number of people who have participated in vote- buying? 2. How can the Dominican government assure that citizens are able to vote for their candidate of their choice without corruption?

Violence Against Women → Latin America and the Dominican Republic are no strangers to the violence against women. This issue largely goes unreported or not handled, and as a result, more women are constantly becoming victims of violence from their family members and other loved ones. Just over 50% of women participate in the Dominican workforce as compared to about 80% of men. Additionally, women make approximately 44% less than their male counterparts while working the same job. It is also known that women who have positive pregnancy tests are denied job opportunities while men are not hindered in any way from obtaining jobs. As a result of the workplace discrimination, women are more susceptible to abuse and find it increasingly difficult to escape from their abusive personal lives.

Key Questions for Debate: 1. How can the Dominican government protect women from their abusive husbands? 2. What solutions are present for women who are abused?

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Sources

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Alcántara, Amanda. “After Canceled Elections And Fraud Accusations, Dominicans Join Protests Demanding Justice - Latino USA.” Latino USA, 19 Feb. 2020, www.latinousa.org/2020/02/19/followingcanceledelectionsdominicanrepublic/.

Buckley, Chris, and Chris Horton. “Xi Jinping Warns Taiwan That Unification Is the Goal and Force Is an Option.” The New York Times, 2 Jan. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/01/01/world/asia/xi- jinping-taiwan-china.html.

“Communist China and the Free World’s Future.” United States Department of State, www.state.gov/communist-china-and-the-free-worlds-future/.

Davis, Elliott. “The Dominican Republic Responds to COVID-19 Locally.” US News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 5 May 2020, www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2020-05- 05/the-dominican-republic-responds-to-the-coronavirus-with-local-efforts. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

Diario, Listin. “Guillermo Moreno Anuncia a Agustín González Como Candidato Vicepresidencial.” Listindiario.Com, 10 Mar. 2020, listindiario.com/la-republica/2020/03/10/607756/guillermo- moreno-anuncia-a-agustin-gonzalez-como-candidato-vicepresidencial. Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

Diario, Listin. “¿Quién Es Carolina Mejía?” Listindiario.Com, 6 Dec. 2019, listindiario.com/la- republica/2019/12/06/594777/quien-es-carolina-mejia. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

---. “Sergia Elena Dice Margarita Es Instrumento Del PLD Para Desviar Atención de Su Fiasco de Candidato.” Listindiario.Com, 12 May 2020, listindiario.com/la- republica/2020/05/12/617163/sergia-elena-dice-margarita-es-instrumento-del-pld-para-desviar- atencion-de-su-fiasco-de-candidato. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

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“Dominican Republic - Bosch, Balaguer, and Their Successors.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/place/Dominican-Republic/Bosch-Balaguer-and-their- successors#ref1002613. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

“Dominican Republic: Government.” GlobalEDGE, 2010, globaledge.msu.edu/countries/dominican- republic/government.

“Donald J. Trump’s Foreign Policy Positions.” Council on Foreign Relations, 24 Oct. 2019, www.cfr.org/election2020/candidate-tracker/donald-j.- trump?gclid=CjwKCAjw4_H6BRALEiwAvgfzq2RWIDZp3zjlfFhwiBj3AGmjbnDyWK65QCwKz K0ALjyKvQukpI4DPhoCqu4QAvD_BwE#china. Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

“Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Canada - Who Is the New Minister of Foreign Affairs Roberto Álvarez Gil?” Www.Dominicanembassycanada.Gob.Do, www.dominicanembassycanada.gob.do/index.php/en/newsroom/news/item/599-who-is-the-new- minister-of-foreign-affairs-roberto-alvarez- gil#:~:text=The%20Minister%20of%20Foreign%20Affairs. Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

Group, 2006-2020, Merit Designs Consulting. “Raquel Peña, from the Education Sector to the Vice- Presidency of the Republic in Less than a Year.” DominicanToday, dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2020/08/16/raquel-pena-from-the-education-sector-to-the-vice- presidency-of-the-republic-in-less-than-a-year/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

Guzmán, Sandra. “Domínguez Brito: ‘Danilo Ha Sido El Mejor Presidente Que Ha Tenido La República Dominicana.’” Www.Diariolibre.Com, www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/dominguez-brito- danilo-ha-sido-el-mejor-presidente-que-ha-tenido-la-republica-dominicana-HD20767088. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

“Hit the Road.” The Business Year, 2013, www.thebusinessyear.com/dominican-republic-2013/hit-the- road/interview. Accessed 5 Sept. 2020.

“Ismael Reyes Afirma Oferta de Gobierno Del PDI Representa Organización Del Estado Dominicano - Periódico El Caribe - Mereces Verdaderas Respuestas.” Periódico El Caribe, 1 July 2020, www.elcaribe.com.do/2020/07/01/ismael-reyes-afirma-oferta-de-gobierno-del-pdi-representa- organizacion-del-estado-dominicano/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2020.

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“Joe Biden’s Foreign Policy Positions.” Council on Foreign Relations, 24 Oct. 2019, www.cfr.org/election2020/candidate-tracker/joe-biden.

“José Ignacio Paliza Será El Ministro Administrativo de La Presidencia.” El Nuevo Diario (República Dominicana), 16 July 2020, elnuevodiario.com.do/jose-ignacio-paliza-sera-el-ministro- administrativo-de-la-presidencia/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

“Leonel Fernández.” The Dialogue, www.thedialogue.org/experts/leonel-fernandez/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2020.

Lugo, Gizelle. “The Dominican Republic’s Epidemic of Domestic Violence | Gizelle Lugo.” The Guardian, 23 Nov. 2012, www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/nov/23/dominican-republic-epidemic- domestic-violence#:~:text=Women%20in%20the%20Dominican%20Republic. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

Martínez, Adelaida. “Guillermo Moreno: Quien Vote Por Alianza País No Se Arrepentirá - Periódico El Caribe - Mereces Verdaderas Respuestas.” Periódico El Caribe, 1 July 2020, www.elcaribe.com.do/2020/06/30/guillermo-moreno-quien-vote-por-alianza-pais-no-se- arrepentira/. Accessed 5 Sept. 2020.

Peschard-Sverdrup, Armand. “Dominican Republic Elections: Political Backdrop and Relevance.” Www.Csis.Org, 30 June 2020, www.csis.org/analysis/dominican-republic-elections-political- backdrop-and-relevance. Accessed 4 Sept. 2020.

“Political Integrity Lacking in Latin America and the Caribbean….” Transparency.Org, 23 Sept. 2019, www.transparency.org/en/news/political-integrity-lacking-in-latin-america-and-the-caribbean- especially-a. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

“President Tsai.” President.Gov.Tw, 2010, english.president.gov.tw/Page/40.

“President Tsai Meets Delegation Led by President Reinaldo Pared Pérez of Dominican Republic Senate.” English.President.Gov.Tw, english.president.gov.tw/NEWS/5163. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

“Quique Antún Calls on the Political Leadership to Act Prudently in Sunday’s Elections.” Diario Libre, 30 June 2020, www.diariolibre.com/actualidad/politica/quique-antun-llama-al-liderazgo-politico-a- actuar-con-prudencia-en-elecciones-del-domingo-

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JC19826960?utm_source=articulos&utm_medium=te-puede-interesar&utm_campaign=related. Accessed 13 Sept. 2020.

Segura, Olga. “Junot Díaz Talks Dominican Identity, Immigration and the (Complicated) American Dream.” America Magazine, 4 May 2017, www.americamagazine.org/arts- culture/2017/05/04/junot-diaz-talks-dominican-identity-immigration-and-complicated-american.

“Temístocles Montás: ‘The PLD Was Intact after Leonel Left.’” Dominican Republic News, 7 Nov. 2019, dominicanrepnews.com/temistocles-montas-the-pld-was-intact-after-leonel-left/. Accessed 12 Sept. 2020.

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Dossier

The officials who are participating in this committee are people who will be directly impacted by the results of the election. These officials are meeting together in a neutral location to discuss the implications and consequences of electing anyone of the previously described officials into office. The overall goal of the committee is to ensure that the best candidate is elected. However, the members of this committee may have their own secrets and motives in order to push their candidate of choice into office. Historically, different political parties have formed alliances to encourage the defeat of other political parties. Such activities are encouraged in this committee.

Danilo Medina, Former Dominican Republic President Medina is the leader of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), and a longtime politician invested in a more social than public-works agenda. He has already publicly endorsed the PLD candidate, Gonzalo Castillo.

Xi Jinping, Chinese President Xi Jinping is a strong advocate for authoritarian government and for the reunification of China with Taiwan. He has supported the breaking of ties with Taiwan as an independent state, which the U.S. Government does not directly oppose or support.

Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwanese President The first female president of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, encourages the safeguarding of Taiwan’s democracy and freedom. She also supports strong trade relations between Taiwan and the U.S., as well as between Taiwan and the Dominican Republic.

Margarita Cedeño de Fernández, Vice Presidential Candidate (Gonzalo Castillo) She is a member of the PLD and former First Lady and Vice President of the Dominican Republic.

Raquel Peña, Vice Presidential Candidate (Luis Abinader) Member of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). Promises to fight for economic growth in the Dominican Republic and against government corruption.

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Sergia Elena de Séliman, Vice Presidential Candidate (Leonel Fernández) Member of the Christian Social Reform Party (PRSC), she believes that the State has obligations to help the most vulnerable people, who have been struggling financially and otherwise because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Agustin Gonzalez Morel, Vice Presidential Candidate (Guillermo Moreno García) A former social worker, Morel is the vice-presidential candidate for Guillermo Moreno. Prior to receiving the nomination with Moreno, he has worked for the Council of Strategic Development and the Senior Consultant of the Economy Commission. He shares similar beliefs to his presidential counterpart.

Frank Troncoso Hache, Vice Presidential Candidate (Ismael Reyes Cruz) Not much is known about Frank Troncoso Hache, and he prefers to keep it that way. What is known, however, is that he supports the same policies as Ismael Reyes Cruz.

Hugo McFarlane Kaluche, Vice Presidential Candidate (Juan Cohen) Like Troncoso, McFarlane prefers to keep his private life private. Rumor has it that he has paid internet companies to wipe his personal information from the internet. People are even skeptical as to whether or not McFarlane truly supports Cohen, or if he’s willing to jump ship for the right amount of money.

Michael Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State A Republican with harsh views on the Chinese Communist regime, he believes that the U.S. cannot and will not bend to the will of the Chinese government.

Hipólito Mejía, Former Dominican President Member of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD).

Carolina Mejía de Garrigó, Mayor of Santo Domingo A disillusioned politician, she disagrees with the general idea that it is good to take down the longstanding dominance of the PLD, (even though other members of her party, the PRM, are pushing for this) because she believes that those pushing the hardest for power are the ones contributing to political corruption in the Dominican Republic.

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Francisco Domínguez Brito Dominican lawyer and politician. Running for president in the PLD. Heavily influenced by and supporter of Danilo Medina.

Senator Reinaldo Pared Peréz As a member of the PLD and a leading senator of the party, he supports a strong bilateral relationship between the Dominican Republic and Taiwan.

Temístocles Montás Interim President of the PLD. Believes in the strength of the PLD, especially moving away from the leadership of Leonel Fernández.

Junot Díaz, Author Commentator on how American culture looms over all of Dominican life; on racism, xenophobia, cultural identity; on how Trump’s America is dangerous for people of color.

Jose Ignacio Paliza, PRM President Extremely favorable with the people of the Dominican Republic because of his defense of most Senate common interests.

Donald Trump, U.S. incumbent president Trump has personal business interests in the Dominican Republic and a strong resentment against the Chinese government. Attempts to debilitate Chinese economy while actually negatively impacting the U.S. economy.

Joseph Biden, U.S. Presidential Candidate Biden believes that China’s authoritarian government has crossed many lines, with their influence as a trade power being a large factor. Wishes to strengthen ties with Latin American countries.

Roberto Álvarez Gil, Foreign Affairs Minister Advocate for democracy and human rights in international affairs.

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Federico Antún Batlle, President of the Social Christian Reformist Party Endorses Leonel Fernández and supports the civic responsibility of voting and democracy as a whole; believes that citizens are responsible for their government officials.