NewsWhore
09-14-2007, 03:30 PM
Former Armed Forces Minister Jose Miguel Soto Jimenez's meeting with Leonel Fernandez earlier this week has set of a chain of events reminiscent of a soap opera. After Fernandez spoke at a function for the V Republic Foundation headed by Soto Jimenez, former President Hipolito Mejia claimed that Jimenez had sold out to President Leonel Fernandez. The Mejia attack did not receive any denial from the former general who limited his comments to restating his "friendship" and "appreciation" to the former President.
Then Retired Chief of the Armed Forces Manuel Polanco Salvador said that President Leonel Fernandez and Jose Manuel Soto Jimenez have been having meetings since Fernandez's first run for president in 1996 even though Soto Jimenez was considered a staunch supporter of the PRD. Polanco claims that Soto met with Fernandez behind then PRD leader Jose Francisco Pena Gomez's back and says that he has proof of this. He added that he was asked by Soto Jimenez to join him to support Fernandez and the PLD's quest for reelection, but he turned this down, saying that he was a man who respected himself.
Now Soto Jimenez has spoken again to say he has definitely broken all ties to Mejia. Diario Libre writes that Soto Jimenez sent a six-page letter to Mejia where he explains that their friendship is over. Soto Jimenez says that the former President dirtied his name by calling him a traitor. He reminded the former President that he served him loyally during his four-year term.
Soto denied the claims that he ever met with Fernandez as claimed by Polanco.
Quoted in El Caribe Soto said defiantly that he will not be Mejia's toy or servant.
Soto denies playing both sides of the coin in order to gain favorable treatment from those in power, regardless of political affiliation, and said in the letter that any friendship deserves mutual respect.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)
Then Retired Chief of the Armed Forces Manuel Polanco Salvador said that President Leonel Fernandez and Jose Manuel Soto Jimenez have been having meetings since Fernandez's first run for president in 1996 even though Soto Jimenez was considered a staunch supporter of the PRD. Polanco claims that Soto met with Fernandez behind then PRD leader Jose Francisco Pena Gomez's back and says that he has proof of this. He added that he was asked by Soto Jimenez to join him to support Fernandez and the PLD's quest for reelection, but he turned this down, saying that he was a man who respected himself.
Now Soto Jimenez has spoken again to say he has definitely broken all ties to Mejia. Diario Libre writes that Soto Jimenez sent a six-page letter to Mejia where he explains that their friendship is over. Soto Jimenez says that the former President dirtied his name by calling him a traitor. He reminded the former President that he served him loyally during his four-year term.
Soto denied the claims that he ever met with Fernandez as claimed by Polanco.
Quoted in El Caribe Soto said defiantly that he will not be Mejia's toy or servant.
Soto denies playing both sides of the coin in order to gain favorable treatment from those in power, regardless of political affiliation, and said in the letter that any friendship deserves mutual respect.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#11)