The Domonican Republic is set to hold presidential elections on Friday. Following are profiles of the two leading presidential candidates:
-- The incumbent president, Leonel Fernandez.
Fernandez, who heads the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), takes the lead in most published polls with around 56 percent of support.
Born on Dec. 26, 1953 in Santo Domingo, Fernandez emigrated with his parents in 1962 to New York, where he received elementary and secondary school education.
He returned to the Dominican Republic in 1968 to continue his schooling. Later he studied law at Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, where he received a doctorate degree in sociology of communications in 1978 and worked as professor of sociology of communications and international affairs.
After joining the PLD in 1973, Fernandez served as a member of political bureau and secretary of press and international relations. He became vice president in 1994, before running as the presidential candidate of the PLD in May 1995.
Having fulfilling his term of office from August 1996 to August2000, Fernandez was reelected president with an absolute majority of 57 percent, the highest ever in Dominican history. He began his second term on Aug. 16, 2004.
During his campaign, Fernandez promised educational advances, social security, justice and fight against corruption.
Fernandez said the economy rose from 1.3 percent to 8.5 percent under his presidency and that inflation decreased from 28.7 percent to 8.8 percent, the lowest in all of Latin American countries. And more than 420,000 jobs were created during his term.
He has three children, a daughter with his current wife lawyer Margarita Cedelo and two sons with his former wife.
-- Miguel Vargas Maldonado, candidate of the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD).
Vargas, 51, ranked second in published polls with an approval rate of 37 percent.
Vargas studied civil engineering in Recinto Universitario de Mayaguez in Puerto Rico. He started his political career in 1982. Before that, he was an engineer and a construction businessman and the general director of the Santo Domingo's Aqueducts and Sewage System Corporation.
He served as minister of public works and communications under former President Hipolito Mejia from 2000 to 2004.
Vargas said if he wins the elections, he will cut taxes to energize the economy and increase social investment in the most needed sectors. He vowed to alleviate poverty that affects half of the Dominican population.
Vargas is married with Maria Angeles Garcia and has three sons.
Source:Xinhua
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