SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico _ The Dominican Republic is postponing its presidential election until July 5, as the Caribbean nation continues to try to suppress the spread of the coronavirus.
In a statement, the Central Electoral Council said it was forced to call off the presidential and legislative election _ initially scheduled for May 17 _ due to the ongoing health crisis.
The Dominican Republic has been particularly hard hit by the coronavirus, which has killed 177 people. The country of 10.6 million people has 3,167 active coronavirus cases, according to its Health Department.
The presidential election was seen as a test for the country's democratic institutions after it was forced to cancel its municipal elections in February due to errors in the automated voting system that many blamed on the ruling Dominican Liberation Party, or PLD. The vote was eventually held March 16 using paper ballots, and an investigation into the problems is ongoing.
According to a Gallup poll published March 3, opposition candidate Luis Abinader, with the Modern Revolutionary Party, or PRM, was leading with 52%. In second place, with 24% of the vote, was Gonzalo Castillo with the PLD. Former President Leonel Fernandez, with the People's Force party, had 17% of the vote.
If no candidate wins an outright majority, a runoff election will be held July 26.
The coronavirus has upended life throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. Last month, Bolivia _ also facing an electoral crisis after President Evo Morales was forced out of office last year _ said it was pushing back its May 3 election to an unspecified date.
