The president of the People’s Force also led the opening of an office in Pimentel, provided by a leader from the PRM, and held meetings with social and productive sectors of the Duarte province.
Castillo, Duarte.– The president of the People’s Force (Fuerza del Pueblo), Leonel Fernández, swore in former mayor of Castillo Alberto Brito Quiroz, known as “Juan Maluca,” this Sunday, along with dozens of leaders and citizens, during an event in which he stated that the current government is permanently hitting the economy of Dominican families, while questioning the blackouts, the lack of water, and the high cost of food.
“This government is a government of ‘saltacocotes’ (opportunists/predators),” Fernández expressed when referring to a definition he said he had heard recently. “It is going for the throat of the Dominican people. But I would say the throat and the pockets of the Dominican people,” he added.
The former president pointed out that Dominicans pay for electricity they do not receive adequately due to power outages, while facing difficulties with the water supply and food prices he described as unaffordable. “Now we have to pay for electricity and what they give us are power outages. Now we don’t have water. Now food is unaffordable and they say there is zero hunger,” he stated.
Fernández highlighted the personal and political qualities of Juan Maluca, recalling that he assumed the Mayoralty of Castillo under particularly difficult circumstances, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. He maintained that his administration left a good memory in the municipality due to his dedication and linked the attendance at the event to the leadership that the former mayor maintains in that district.
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Brito Quiroz, a lawyer and mayor of Castillo during the 2020-2024 term, had submitted his resignation from the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) in January. He also held the first regional vice-presidency for the Northeast of the Dominican Federation of Municipalities (Fedomu). His incorporation, along with part of his political structure, continues to strengthen the territorial presence of the People’s Force with a view toward the municipal elections of February 2028.
During his speech, Juan Maluca explained the reasons that led him to support Fernández and recalled the treatment received by leaders who, as he said, worked to bring the PRM to government. “That party we left mistreated us, humiliated us. That team that worked hard so that today they would be the government has been mistreated,” he expressed.
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The former mayor also raised several needs of the municipality and asked Fernández to make commitments for an upcoming administration. He cited the availability of land to develop housing for teachers and another for the construction of a shelter, as well as the need to pave communities such as Curazao, Los Naranjos, El Firme, and Loma Vieja, among others.
“We are here because we are investigating what his years of government were like, and that is what we want for our municipality and for the country,” stated Maluca, who recalled the construction of the aqueduct, the paving of various communities, and more than 30 works that he attributed to the administrations led by Fernández. “You will have a mayor, but I want to have a president who helps us govern for our people,” he added.
Fernández, for his part, stated that Castillo must occupy a priority place in a future Fuerza del Pueblo government agenda due to its weight in cocoa production. He highlighted the importance of this product, which he called “brown gold,” for the economy of the Duarte province and maintained that supporting production requires guaranteeing adequate infrastructure in rural communities.
In that sense, he committed to intervening in local roads and paving streets in Castillo and other areas of the Duarte province. Fernández also recalled works executed during his administrations in the Northeast region, including the San Francisco de Macorís-Nagua highway and projects for road infrastructure, drinking water, and higher education.
Sworn
Among those sworn in at Castillo are Ingrid A. Jiménez Palmers, Yulenny Taveras Valdez, Nurissa Díaz Marrero, Manuel Bienvenido Brito Quiroz, Raúl Bienvenido Brito Estévez, Yefri Paulino, Julissa Díaz Marrero, Louis Fernández, Anabel Peña, Jairo de la Cruz Morel, Jeison Jiménez, Ángela Fernanda Vargas, Carolina Luna, Santiago Luna, Freddy Burgos, Antonio Ramos, and Franklin Brito Frías, among others.
Additions in Pimentel
Prior to the Castillo activity, Fernández was in the municipality of Pimentel, where he participated in the opening of a local office that was provided for the activities of the Fuerza del Pueblo by Dr. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez Cordero, a physician and leader from the PRM, who also requested to be sworn into the political organization along with a group of leaders and citizens.
In that activity, Radhames del Orbe, Rafael Acosta, Luis Felipe del Orbe, Manuel Antonio del Orbe, Ada Mejía, and Luis Crusset also joined from the PRM. Likewise, Pedro Diloné, Carmen Vélez, Guillermo Almonte, Joan Acosta, Valentín Peralta, Francisco Antonio de la Cruz, and Omerfi Altagracia Báez were sworn in, in addition to Sandra Valdez and Juan Elías Tavares, coming from the PLD.
The additions in Pimentel and Castillo are part of the growth process that the People’s Force is developing in different parts of the country and which, in recent weeks, has included the arrival of leaders coming mainly from the ruling PRM party, as well as from other political organizations and citizens without party affiliation.
As part of his tour through the Duarte province, Fernández also participated in a meeting with representatives of social and productive sectors, continuing the consultation process he has been developing to learn directly about the reality, needs, and priorities of the different areas of the national territory and to collect proposals that will serve as input for a future government agenda.
Secretariat of Communications
Fuerza del Pueblo
