Danilo Medina
Encyclopedia
Danilo Medina Sánchez is an economist
, engineer
and Dominican politician
. He was the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party
in the 2000 presidential election
, and was defeated by Hipólito Mejía
.
Also served as Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic
between 1996–2000 and 2004–2006 and as President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic
between 1994–1996.
, San Juan Province
, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. He is the oldest of eight brothers born of Juan Pablo Medina and Amelia Sánchez. He graduated in 1972 as a chemical engineer
from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
. Since he was 18 years old he was a student leader, founding the San Juan de la Maguana branch of the Frente Revolucionario Estudiantil Nacionalista at the UASD. When Professor Juan Bosch
founded the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana in 1973, Medina joined him. He studied a second career in economics
at Instituto Tecnológico Santo Domingo (INTEC)
, and graduated magna cum laude in 1984. He has been a member of the Central Committee of the PLD since 1983. In 1986 election he was elected a deputy in Congress. In 1987, he married psychologist
Cándida Montilla and has three daughters, Sibeli, Vanessa and Ana Paula.
together with Leonel Fernández
and Juan Temístocles Montás
. He was selected by his political organization to be the President of the Chamber of Deputies in the Dominican Republic
.
As president of the Chamber of Deputies in the National Congress (1990–94), he was a key figure in congressional negotiations that led to the resolving of the 1994 political impasse. In that year, a close finish between Joaquín Balaguer
and José Francisco Peña Gómez
brought about a major conflict, as one side accused the other of fraud. The conflict was resolved with a pact that instituted separate presidential and congressional elections, the need for a candidate to receive 50%+1 of the vote to win in a first round, and prohibited presidential re-election. The agreement eventually worked in favor of the PLD, which won the presidential in the 1996 election, with Leonel Fernández
defeating José Francisco Peña Gómez in a second round.
Danilo Medina is considered the PLD leading political strategist and negotiator. As such, he was one of the brains behind the presidential campaign of today President Fernández. He was appointed Secretary of the Presidency in 1996 and was one of the President's closest aides. In 2000, as President Leonel Fernández could not run due to a Constitutional ban on reelection, Medina he was the presidential candidate of the PLD, losing to the opposition candidate, Hipolito Mejía Domínguez.
As President Fernández acceded to a second term in 2004, Danilo Medina was once again appointed Secretary of the Presidency and considered second in command on internal corridors of Government. As a new election approached in 2008, Danilo Medina was considered the main competition for President Fernández, as he is considered by some to have complete control of the Official Government Party, the PLD. Because of this, he resigned from office on November 8, 2006 in order to start his presidential campaign.
After running a campaign under the slogans "Ahora Es" and "Lo Mejor Para Todos"("Now Is the Time" and "The Best for Everybody") Danilo Medina was eventually defeated by President Leonel Fernández
in the May 6, 2007 PLD congress to elect the party's candidate for the 2008 presidential election. Since its foundation the PLD had maintained an implicit non re-election policy, but President Fernández changed that allowing him to campaign against Medina from the Presidential Palace and opt for a second consecutive term in power (his third).
In the internal PLD vote Danilo Medina obtained 28.45% of the votes against President Fernández' 71.55%. Minor irregularities were confirmed during the election process. In the evening of May 6, 2007, Danilo Medina made a brief public appearance saying he had been "beaten by the state" (in reference to the fact that government resources had been used to suppress his candidacy and to promote that of Fernández).
Subsequently Danilo Medina and his supporters maintained a low profile. He is today considered the most likely contender for the PLD candidacy in the 2012 Dominican Presidential Elections.
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and Dominican politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He was the presidential candidate of the Dominican Liberation Party
Dominican Liberation Party
The Dominican Liberation Party is one of the main political parties of the Dominican Republic, and has a centrist position.The party has been elected into office thrice now with Leonel Fernández as President of the Dominican Republic in the 1996, 2004 and 2008 elections, though losing in 2000...
in the 2000 presidential election
Dominican Republic presidential election, 2000
Presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 2000. Hipólito Mejía of the Dominican Revolutionary Party won the election, defeating Danilo Medina of the Dominican Liberation Party and former president Joaquín Balaguer of the Social Christian Reformist Party...
, and was defeated by Hipólito Mejía
Hipólito Mejía
Rafael Hipólito Mejía Domínguez is a Dominican politician and former President of the Dominican Republic...
.
Also served as Secretary of State of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
between 1996–2000 and 2004–2006 and as President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
between 1994–1996.
Early years
Medina was born in Arroyo CanoBohechío
Bohechío is a town in the San Juan province of the Dominican Republic.It is located northeast of the km 25 of Azua road - San Juan at a distance of 26.5 km and 43 km from San Juan Province , 205 km from the capital city and 92 km of the Province Azua , nestled between mountains at the foot of the...
, San Juan Province
San Juan Province (Dominican Republic)
San Juan is a province of the Dominican Republic. Before 1961 it was known as Benefactor.-Municipalities and municipal districts:The province as of June 20 2006 is divided into the following municipalities and municipal districts within them:*Bohechío**Arroyo Cano **Yaque *El Cercado**Batista...
, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. He is the oldest of eight brothers born of Juan Pablo Medina and Amelia Sánchez. He graduated in 1972 as a chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo
The Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo is the public university system in the Dominican Republic with its main campus in Santo Domingo and regional centers across the Republic...
. Since he was 18 years old he was a student leader, founding the San Juan de la Maguana branch of the Frente Revolucionario Estudiantil Nacionalista at the UASD. When Professor Juan Bosch
Juan Bosch
Juan Emilio Bosch Gaviño was a politician, historian, short story writer, essayist, educator, and the first cleanly elected president of the Dominican Republic for a brief time in 1963. Previously, he had been the leader of the Dominican opposition in exile to the dictatorial regime of Rafael...
founded the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana in 1973, Medina joined him. He studied a second career in economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
at Instituto Tecnológico Santo Domingo (INTEC)
Instituto Tecnológico Santo Domingo (INTEC)
Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo —or Santo Domingo Institute of Technology , is a private, coeducational, university in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...
, and graduated magna cum laude in 1984. He has been a member of the Central Committee of the PLD since 1983. In 1986 election he was elected a deputy in Congress. In 1987, he married psychologist
Psychologist
Psychologist is a professional or academic title used by individuals who are either:* Clinical professionals who work with patients in a variety of therapeutic contexts .* Scientists conducting psychological research or teaching psychology in a college...
Cándida Montilla and has three daughters, Sibeli, Vanessa and Ana Paula.
Career during the 1990s and 2000
In 1990, Medina was elected member of the Political Committee of the Dominican Liberation PartyDominican Liberation Party
The Dominican Liberation Party is one of the main political parties of the Dominican Republic, and has a centrist position.The party has been elected into office thrice now with Leonel Fernández as President of the Dominican Republic in the 1996, 2004 and 2008 elections, though losing in 2000...
together with Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
and Juan Temístocles Montás
Juan Temístocles Montás
Juan Temístocles Montás Dominguez, is an academic, economist, intellectual and Dominican politician. Ph.D...
. He was selected by his political organization to be the President of the Chamber of Deputies in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
.
As president of the Chamber of Deputies in the National Congress (1990–94), he was a key figure in congressional negotiations that led to the resolving of the 1994 political impasse. In that year, a close finish between Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Balaguer
Joaquín Antonio Balaguer Ricardo was the President of the Dominican Republic from 1960 to 1962, from 1966 to 1978, and again from 1986 to 1996.-Early life and introduction to politics:...
and José Francisco Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez
José Francisco Peña Gómez was a politician from the Dominican Republic. He was the leader of the Dominican Revolutionary Party , a three-time candidate for president of the Dominican Republic and former Mayor of Santo Domingo...
brought about a major conflict, as one side accused the other of fraud. The conflict was resolved with a pact that instituted separate presidential and congressional elections, the need for a candidate to receive 50%+1 of the vote to win in a first round, and prohibited presidential re-election. The agreement eventually worked in favor of the PLD, which won the presidential in the 1996 election, with Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
defeating José Francisco Peña Gómez in a second round.
Danilo Medina is considered the PLD leading political strategist and negotiator. As such, he was one of the brains behind the presidential campaign of today President Fernández. He was appointed Secretary of the Presidency in 1996 and was one of the President's closest aides. In 2000, as President Leonel Fernández could not run due to a Constitutional ban on reelection, Medina he was the presidential candidate of the PLD, losing to the opposition candidate, Hipolito Mejía Domínguez.
As President Fernández acceded to a second term in 2004, Danilo Medina was once again appointed Secretary of the Presidency and considered second in command on internal corridors of Government. As a new election approached in 2008, Danilo Medina was considered the main competition for President Fernández, as he is considered by some to have complete control of the Official Government Party, the PLD. Because of this, he resigned from office on November 8, 2006 in order to start his presidential campaign.
After running a campaign under the slogans "Ahora Es" and "Lo Mejor Para Todos"("Now Is the Time" and "The Best for Everybody") Danilo Medina was eventually defeated by President Leonel Fernández
Leonel Fernández
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna is a Dominican lawyer, academic, and the current President of the Dominican Republic since 2004. He held the same office from 1996 to 2000...
in the May 6, 2007 PLD congress to elect the party's candidate for the 2008 presidential election. Since its foundation the PLD had maintained an implicit non re-election policy, but President Fernández changed that allowing him to campaign against Medina from the Presidential Palace and opt for a second consecutive term in power (his third).
In the internal PLD vote Danilo Medina obtained 28.45% of the votes against President Fernández' 71.55%. Minor irregularities were confirmed during the election process. In the evening of May 6, 2007, Danilo Medina made a brief public appearance saying he had been "beaten by the state" (in reference to the fact that government resources had been used to suppress his candidacy and to promote that of Fernández).
Subsequently Danilo Medina and his supporters maintained a low profile. He is today considered the most likely contender for the PLD candidacy in the 2012 Dominican Presidential Elections.