The text was approved and signed at the end of the legislative session.

It provides that the candidates who do not participate in the political debates organized by the JCE will be sanctioned with total restriction to promote their claims.

“The mandatory assistance and participation of the candidates for president and vice president of the Republic, the National Congress, and local governments are provided for in at least one of the public debates organized by the JCE,” it states.

The manuscript comes from two bills proposed by legislators Jose Horacio Rodríguez, Mélido Mercedes, Pedro Martínez, Aida López, and Mateo Espaillat, Diario Libre reported.

The report states that the issues to address must be agreed upon in advance with all the political groups of the aspirants, besides with academic and civil society institutions.

The candidates’ debates will be available on the JCE websites so that citizens can have access.

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