Hubieres, Fenatrano and elections

[NewsWhore]

Juan Hubieres, the bearded transport union leader, is in the midst of some complicated election maneuvers. In an article in Hoy newspaper, he is quoted as saying that three different sources have offered to exonerate his union from the payment of RD$500 million it owes on vehicles acquired under various government-sponsored programs. The "quid", of course, is publicly backing Leonel Fernandez in his re-election efforts. Apparently one of the key issues is the fact that the vehicles were purchased when the dollar was quoted at 16:1 on the open exchange market, and today it is at RD$33.86, according to the Central Bank. Hubieres also mentioned the fact that the offers came after he openly questioned the disbursal of tax-free diesel fuel under another government plan to keep down the cost of public transportation, and the union leader said that his call for this fuel to be provided to Fenatrano members was not subject to any political negotiations or support of the re-election bid.
In another article, in Diario Libre, Hubieres told reporters that he would give his personal support and that of his own group to a re-election bid, but that he would not oblige Fenatrano to do the same. Letters from the Fenatrano leader to the Minister without Portfolio, Miguel Mejia, prove that there had been meetings and exchanges of memos about a possible electoral deal. The copies that Hubieres gave to Diario Libre indicated that such an alliance would have pushed hard for re-election.

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