The state of emergency was extended and the phase 3 of the reopening was postponed

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - In Brief 20 Jun 2020 by Pavel Isa

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Last week, President Medina asked Congress to extend the state of emergency until June 30. Despite opposition from the main opposition parties, Congress approved it as some Congress members of the opposition broke party lines and joined the PLD on short-lived objectives. The PRM and the FP (opposition) have said that the decision is another step taken by the PLD to restrict the opposition's ability to campaign, to reduce electoral participation and to prevent their electoral defeat on July 5. One of the most credible surveys suggests that, in the context of the health crisis and social distancing measures, the gap in electoral preference between Luis Abinader, PRM presidential candidate and Gonzalo Castillo, PLD candidate, has significantly narrowed and that none will get more than 50% of the votes necessary to win in the first round. A recent ingredient is that Luis Abinader has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Although the latest news indicates that he is already recovering, illness and confinement have restricted his ability to campaign. The latest numbers on the epidemic indicate that infections continue to grow and that the curve has not flattened. This forced the government to postpone the entry into force of Phase 3 of the reopening, which means that the current partial confinement measures are maintained. However, the opposition interprets the decision as part of the PLD's effort to drive voters away from the polls.