NewsWhore
10-16-2007, 05:20 PM
Julio Cesar Castanos Guzman, president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), has asked the PLD to remove a TV spot in which President Leonel Fernandez appears with an actor who is on the Army payroll. The metaphorical spot shows a patient (Elias Caamano Perez) portraying the country and being treated by doctors in the emergency room. The patient is on the verge of death when Fernandez shows up and helps heal the "country" and sees the "country" on its way to recovery. Interestingly enough there is no reference to the actor's role as a military official during the spot, but that is not of concern to members of the opposition who consider the spot unconstitutional. Castanos has asked the PLD to pull the spot on grounds that the Constitution bans military participation in politics.
In response to the issue, Caamano released a statement explaining that he is a career TV commercial actor, who has appeared in advertisements since 1978 and that he is also a dentist. Caamano explained that over the last 12 years he has appeared in ads for Orange, Shell, Colgate, Induveca, Plaza Lama, the Central Bank and many other companies. He even has a role in the "Mi Novia Esta de Madre" comedy, now showing in Dominican movie theaters. He said that if he had to choose, he would relinquish his military wage. He is on the Army payroll because he provides them with training in Tae Kwon Do. He is the owner of the Centro Nacional de Tae Kwon Do.
The PRSC, through its secretary General Victor Gomez Casanova, pointed out the presence of a member of the military in the TV spot.
Administrative Minister to the Presidency Luis Manuel Bonetti responded that Jose Joaquin Puello, former president of the Dominican Olympic Commission, is head of Miguel Vargas Maldonado's External Sector political movement as well as serving as an Army official, who receives the pay of a colonel and that this also needs to be reviewed. During the Mejia administration Puello, the main advocate of the 2003 Pan American Games, worked closely with Vargas Maldonado who as minister of Public Works was responsible for the construction of most of the new venues for the Games.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#14)
In response to the issue, Caamano released a statement explaining that he is a career TV commercial actor, who has appeared in advertisements since 1978 and that he is also a dentist. Caamano explained that over the last 12 years he has appeared in ads for Orange, Shell, Colgate, Induveca, Plaza Lama, the Central Bank and many other companies. He even has a role in the "Mi Novia Esta de Madre" comedy, now showing in Dominican movie theaters. He said that if he had to choose, he would relinquish his military wage. He is on the Army payroll because he provides them with training in Tae Kwon Do. He is the owner of the Centro Nacional de Tae Kwon Do.
The PRSC, through its secretary General Victor Gomez Casanova, pointed out the presence of a member of the military in the TV spot.
Administrative Minister to the Presidency Luis Manuel Bonetti responded that Jose Joaquin Puello, former president of the Dominican Olympic Commission, is head of Miguel Vargas Maldonado's External Sector political movement as well as serving as an Army official, who receives the pay of a colonel and that this also needs to be reviewed. During the Mejia administration Puello, the main advocate of the 2003 Pan American Games, worked closely with Vargas Maldonado who as minister of Public Works was responsible for the construction of most of the new venues for the Games.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#14)