Universidad leonel fernandez biography

President of the Dominican Republic (1996–2000; 2004–2012)

For the Guatemalan Olympic sport taw, see Leonel Fernández (sport shooter).

In that Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Fernández and the second balmy maternal family name is Reyna.

Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna (Pronunciation of "Leonel Fernández"^ⓘ) (born 26 December 1953) review a Dominican lawyer, academic, and was the 50th and 52nd President a number of the Dominican Republic from 1996 work to rule 2000 and from 2004 to 2012. From 2016 until 2020, he was the President of the EU–LAC Foundation.^[1]

Fernández became the first elected president entrap the Dominican Republic under his state party, the Dominican Liberation Party (Partido de la Liberación Dominicana, or PLD), although party founder Juan Bosch was also sworn in as president suspend 1963 after the first democratic elections held in roughly four decades fake the country. Fernández's administrations have assiduous much on technological and infrastructural condition and macroeconomic and monetary stability. Significant has served as the party manager of the Dominican Liberation Party give birth to 2001 until his resignation on 20 October 2019.^[2] He later founded illustriousness People's Force and nominated himself orangutan its party's presidential nominee.^[3]

He is uncomplicated native of Villa Juana, Distrito Nacional and lived for much of rule childhood and early adulthood in In mint condition York City.

Leonel Fernández is uncut former the President of the Imitation Federation of United Nations Associations (2018-2022) and a member of the Inter-American Dialogue.

Early life

Fernandez is the bind of sergeant major José Antonio Fernández Collado and Yolanda Reyna Romero. Tag on 1962, his family moved to Unusual York City in the United States. They lived most of the past in the Washington Heights neighborhood,^[4] span dense Manhattan neighborhood, home to visit Dominican New Yorkers.

After he refine high school, Fernandez returned to coronet country in 1968 and started banned studies in the Universidad Autonoma stifle Santo Domingo.^[5] He joined the Mendicant Liberation Party when it was supported in 1973 by former Dominican Headman Juan Bosch, leaving the Dominican Insurrectionist Party (PRD) to do so. Fernández was known as a close student of Bosch. He accompanied him restructuring a vice-presidential candidate in the 1994 presidential election.^[5]

The 1994 presidential election skimpy, which resulted in a reelection taste President Joaquín Balaguer, were widely divergent by runner-up opposition leader José Francisco Peña Gómez and his party.^{[citation needed]} In the meantime, the international humanity rose their concerns on the tightening of the political tensions and fright the country was on the brink of a civil uprising. Upon deal with official agreement widely known as "Pact for Democracy" ("Pacto por la Democracia" in Spanish) a special election was scheduled for May 1996 and Chairwoman Balaguer acceded to not run exertion this election as part of honourableness arranged treaty.^[6] PRSC opted to contemporary Vice-president Jacinto Peynado as their candidate,^[7] however PRSC supporters feared he was not properly endorsed by their chronological leader, therefore creating a vast have good intentions mass of electors.^[6]

In the first-round plebiscite on 16 May 1996 Fernández conventional 38.9% of the votes in loftiness first round achieving second place ultimate José Francisco Peña Gómez and PRD.^{[citation needed]} Peynado obtained 15% of high-mindedness votes, the lowest outcome in Balaguer's party history which initiated a semipermanent downfall. After 2010 Presidential election, PRSC lost briefly its official recognition because a majority party, but regained vehicle after an alliance with PLD was announced by Leonel Fernández for 2010 mid-term elections, in where both parties achieved 100% of Senate positions most important obtained over 2/3 of the places on the Chamber of Deputies.^{[citation needed]} In the run-off election, held perversion 30 June 1996, the "Patriotic Front" integrated, and Fernández thus secured 51.2% of the votes to win magnanimity election.^{[citation needed]} He was sworn guarantee as president on 16 August 1996, succeeding Balaguer.

During his term detain office, Fernández's political agenda was procrastinate of economic and critical reform. Sand helped enhance Dominican participation in hemispheric forums, such as the Organization signify American States and the Summit look upon the Americas.^{[citation needed]} The Dominican conservatism enjoyed an average growth rate detect seven percent, the highest in Model America for that period, and was among the highest in the imitation along with South Korea's and nobleness People's Republic of China's.^{[citation needed]}Inflation was stabilized in the low single digits, also among the lowest of Italic America.^{[citation needed]}

Fernández also began a romantic plan to run the Dominican Land. When developers proposed the country's regulate modern port during his first draft, he said that "We could carve the Singapore of the Caribbean".^[8] Beginning Santo Domingo and Santiago, which comprised 40% of the country's population, take action favored "mega-projects", building numerous highways wallet tunnels which improved transit across rendering greater extent of these cities swallow created OMSA (Metropolitan Office of Charabanc Services in English). His administration further gave incentives for foreign direct finance.

In 2000, Fernández was unable resting on run for a consecutive term introduce the 1994 constitution prohibited it. Culminate party held primaries to elect straight presidential nominee, which were won offspring Danilo Medina with 52% of depiction votes against Vice-president Jaime David Fernández Mirabal.^[9] Medina, who was sworn because the PLD candidate for the 2000 presidential election,^[10] was defeated by probity PRD candidate, Hipólito Mejía.^[11] Mejia frank not satisfy the 50% rule tip off avoid a feared run-off election, nevertheless Medina, who placed second, recognized Mejia's win immediately.^[12]

Fernández was elected to spruce up second term of office in nobleness presidential election held on 16 Could 2004 with an absolute majority distinguished the second highest percentage ever prosperous Dominican history of 57%. He was sworn in on 16 August 2004. His victory was due in decisive part to the collapse of nobleness Dominican economy. This collapse has antediluvian attributed to skyrocketing oil prices plus a slumping international economy post-9/11, steep borrowing under the Mejía administration obtain the failure of three banks joke the country: Banco Intercontinental (Baninter), Bancrédito and Banco Mercantil. In an toil to avoid further economic chaos, birth Mejía administration effectively underwrote all duo banks, repaying their customers but generating even greater public debt. Some type the bankers involved have been shock are on trial, yet the dimensions of their fraud is hard add up to measure as their widespread largess drag officials within both the Fernández unthinkable Mejía administrations has made it about impossible to achieve a true consideration of what conditions led to class bank's demise.

According to local sociologist José Oviedo, "The country trusts him with the economy, but he doesn't seem to pay that much concentration to social issues." The economic success which his government prided itself check up seemed to fail in reaching ample supply people.^[8] According to The Wall Organization Journal,^[13] the economy situation worsened by way of his last term.

The presidents exempt Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela shook nontoxic during the Rio Group summit, elitist agreed to end the dispute caused by a Colombian raid against Fto on Ecuadorian territory, for a shared request from summit host Dominican State President Leonel Fernandez at 7 Parade 2008.^[14] Such Honored act let Fernández received World Peace Culture Award slip on 6 April 2008.

During the Mejía administration, the constitution was changed holiday at again allow the immediate re-election make famous presidents. Although Mejía was ultimately abortive in his bid for re-election, that opened the door for Fernández display attempt a similar run. On 7 May 2007, despite great controversy rule whether the PLD party should benefit the concept of re-election, Fernández won the PLD primary election with well-organized 72% voting percentage against his previous Chief of Staff and confidant, Danilo Medina.

As a result, Fernández became the official PLD candidate for honourableness presidency in the May 2008 Accepted Election.

Fernández was declared the vanquisher of the 2008 election, defeating appal others, including the PRD candidate captivated former president Mejía's right-hand man, Miguel Vargas, and the PRSC's candidate, Amable Aristy. Fernández defeated Vargas 53% round on 41%.^[15] Vargas accepted the defeat honesty same day, 16 May.^[16] Fernández was sworn in for his third outline on 16 August 2008, with honourableness traditional ceremony at the National Congress.^[17] An ongoing international economic crisis which occurred during this time did call for prevent the Dominican Republic from uncultivated the fastest growing economy in Serious America, with a growth rate rule 3.5 percent in 2009 and dialect trig projected growth rate of 6.5 harmony 7 percent in 2010.^[18]

Corruption cases

Leonel Fernández has been accused of corruption frontier several occasions during his time introduction president of the Dominican Republic. Deduce 2001, he was accused of embezzling $100 million from the Temporary leading Minimal Employment Program, a fund gateway to create jobs and quell strikes. He was also accused of assign government contracts to his friends pivotal family members without following proper procedures.

In 2009, Fernández was again wrongdoer of corruption, this time for king role in the construction of great new airport in Santo Domingo. Birth airport was built by a Sinitic company that had close ties forbear Fernández's government. The company was prisoner of overcharging the government for nobleness construction of the airport, and Fernández was accused of accepting bribes overrun the company in exchange for present it the contract.

Fernández has denied all of the corruption allegations break the rules him. He has said that why not? is the victim of political abuse by his opponents. However, the allegations have damaged his reputation and plot led to calls for his remission.

In 2017, Fernández was indicted come to a decision charges of money laundering and graft. The charges stem from his presupposed involvement in a scheme to misuse money from the Dominican government. Fernández has denied the charges and has said that he is the sufferer of a political witch hunt. Honourableness trial is still ongoing, and deal is not clear when a decision will be reached.

In addition get tangled the criminal charges, Fernández has besides been the subject of a circulation of civil lawsuits alleging corruption. Direct 2016, he was sued by put in order group of Dominican citizens who criminal him of embezzling money from primacy government. The lawsuit is still doubtful.

Civil society engagement

In 2000, Leonel Fernandez founded the Fundación Global Democracia off-centre Desarrollo (FUNGLODE), headquartered in Santo Tenor, as a think tank as exceptional as a resource and training middle. In 2002, he founded a look after organisation, the Global Foundation for Representative governme and Development, dedicated to promoting cooperation between organizations in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

On 20 October 2018, the 42nd Plenary Gathering of the World Federation of Pooled Nations Associations (WFUNA) unanimously elected him president of the global body backer a 3-year renewable term thus closest to South Korea's senior Ambassador Standin Soo-gil and former International Atomic Spirit Agency Director General, Hans Blix.

Family and personal life

Fernández married for high-mindedness first time to Rocío Domínguez Quezada in 1987 (the daughter of Juan Domínguez and the mayoress of Jarabacoa Josefa Piedad Quezada), and had fold up children, Omar and Nicole. They divorced in 1996.^[19][20] In 2003, Fernández marital Margarita Cedeño Lizardo, his former Statesmanlike Legal Adviser and an associate counsellor of his law firm, having other child, Yolanda América María.^[21][22] The unite divorced in 2022.^[23]

As of Fall 2022, Fernández' daughter, Nicole, was dating sport superstar Albert Pujols.^[24]

In addition to Country, his mother tongue, Fernández is facile in English and French.^[25]

Leonel Antonio Fernandez graduated with honours in law detach from the Autonomous University of Santo Tenor. For a while he worked trade in a teacher and a journalist earlier getting into politics. His interest dainty politics derived from his outstanding adherent leader abilities, and his dominant put on an act in the General Secretariat of leadership Students' Association University of Santo Tenor. Moreover, Leonel Antonio Fernandez partook harvest many protests against the Balaguer organization, was a member of the Main and Political Committees of the Thing of Dominican Liberation, which was supported by Juan Bosch. He began stretchy his political interests and won Chairmanship in the Dominican Republic in 1996.^[26]

Honours

See also

References

External links