Leonel Fernández facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leonel Fernández
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Leonel Fernández, 2016
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| 50th & 52nd President of the Dominican Republic | |
| In office 16 August 2004 – 16 August 2012 |
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| Vice President | Rafael Alburquerque |
| Preceded by | Hipólito Mejía |
| Succeeded by | Danilo Medina |
| In office 16 August 1996 – 16 August 2000 |
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| Vice President | Jaime David Fernández Mirabal |
| Preceded by | Joaquín Balaguer |
| Succeeded by | Hipólito Mejía |
| Second Gentleman of the Dominican Republic | |
| In role 16 August 2012 – 16 August 2020 |
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| Vice President | Margarita Cedeño de Fernández |
| Preceded by | Martha Montes de Oca (as Second Lady) |
| Succeeded by | vacant |
| President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations | |
| In office 20 November 2018 – 11 November 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Park Soo-gil  |
| President of the Dominican Liberation Party | |
| In office 20 January 2002 – 20 October 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Juan Bosch |
| Succeeded by | Temístocles Montás |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna
26 December 1953 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Political party | People's Force (since 2019) |
| Other political affiliations |
Dominican Liberation Party (1973–2019) |
| Spouses |
Yolanda Robles Peña
(m. 1978; div. 1980)Rocío Domínguez Quezada
(m. 1987; div. 1996) |
| Relations | Piedad Quezada, Mayor of Jarabacoa (ex-mother-in-law) |
| Children | Nicole, Omar (senator) and Yolanda América María |
| Alma mater | Autonomous University of Santo Domingo |
| Signature |  |
| Website |
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Leonel Antonio Fernández Reyna was born on December 26, 1953. He is a lawyer and academic from the Dominican Republic. He served as the 50th and 52nd President of the Dominican Republic. His first term was from 1996 to 2000, and his second was from 2004 to 2012.
Fernández was the first president elected from the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). His time as president focused on improving technology and infrastructure. He also worked to keep the country's economy stable. He was the president of the Dominican Liberation Party from 2001 until 2019. After leaving the PLD, he started a new political party called the People's Force.
He grew up in Villa Juana, Distrito Nacional, and spent much of his childhood and early adult life in New York City. Leonel Fernández also served as the President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations from 2018 to 2022. He is also a member of the Inter-American Dialogue, a group that discusses important issues in the Americas.
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Early Life and Education
Leonel Fernández is the son of José Antonio Fernández Collado and Yolanda Reyna Romero. In 1962, his family moved to New York City in the United States. They lived mostly in the Washington Heights area, which is home to many Dominicans.
After finishing high school, Fernández returned to the Dominican Republic in 1968. He began studying law at the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo. In 1973, he joined the Dominican Liberation Party. This party was founded by former Dominican President Juan Bosch. Fernández was seen as a close student of Bosch. He even ran alongside Bosch as a vice-presidential candidate in the 1994 election.
First Time as President (1996–2000)
The 1994 presidential election caused a lot of disagreement. The international community worried about political tensions. To calm things, an agreement called the "Pact for Democracy" was made. A special election was set for May 1996. The current president, Joaquín Balaguer, agreed not to run again.
In the first round of the 1996 election, Fernández came in second. He then formed an alliance called the "Patriotic Front." This helped him win the run-off election on June 30, 1996, with 51.2% of the votes. He became president on August 16, 1996, taking over from Balaguer.
During his first term, Fernández focused on improving the economy. The Dominican economy grew by about seven percent each year. This was one of the highest growth rates in Latin America. Prices also stayed stable, which was good for the country.
Fernández had big plans for the Dominican Republic. He wanted it to be a major hub, like Singapore. He built many new highways and tunnels in Santo Domingo and Santiago. These projects made travel easier in the cities. His government also encouraged businesses from other countries to invest in the Dominican Republic.
In 2000, Fernández could not run for president again right away because of the constitution. His party chose Danilo Medina as their candidate. However, Medina lost the election to Hipólito Mejía.
Second Time as President (2004–2008)
Fernández was elected president again in the 2004 Dominican Republic presidential election. He won with 57% of the votes. He started his second term on August 16, 2004. His win came after the Dominican economy faced big challenges.
During his second term, Fernández worked to fix the economy. He focused on bringing stability back to the country. In 2008, he received the World Peace Culture Award. This was for his efforts in helping to resolve a dispute between Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela.
Third Time as President (2008–2012)
During the previous president's term, the constitution was changed. This change allowed presidents to run for re-election right away. On May 7, 2007, Fernández won his party's primary election. This made him the official candidate for president in the 2008 election.
Fernández won the 2008 election, defeating six other candidates. He won with 53% of the votes. He began his third term on August 16, 2008. Even with a global economic crisis happening, the Dominican Republic's economy continued to grow. It was one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America during this time.
Community Involvement
In 2000, Leonel Fernández started the Fundación Global Democracia y Desarrollo (FUNGLODE). This organization is a "think tank" in Santo Domingo. It helps with research, resources, and training. In 2002, he also founded the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development. This group works to build cooperation between organizations in the United States and the Dominican Republic.
On October 20, 2018, Fernández was chosen as the president of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA). This is a global organization. He served a three-year term.
Family and Personal Life
Fernández first married Rocío Domínguez Quezada in 1987. They had two children, Omar and Nicole. They divorced in 1996. In 2003, Fernández married Margarita Cedeño Lizardo. She was his former legal adviser. They had one child, Yolanda América María. The couple divorced in 2022.
As of late 2022, his daughter, Nicole, was dating famous baseball player Albert Pujols. Besides Spanish, his first language, Fernández also speaks English and French very well.
Leonel Antonio Fernández graduated with honors in law. He studied at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo. Before becoming a politician, he worked as a teacher and a journalist. He became interested in politics because he was a strong student leader. He was also a key member of the Students' Association at the University of Santo Domingo. Fernández took part in many protests against the government at the time. He was also a member of the main committees of the Party of Dominican Liberation.
Awards and Honors
Leonel Fernández has received many awards from different countries:
Guatemala:
Grand Collar of the Order of the Quetzal - 2011
Honduras:
Grand Cross Gold Plate of the Order of José Cecilio del Valle - 2013
Italy:
Knight Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic - 1999
Panama:
Extraordinary Grand Cross of the Order of Vasco Núñez de Balboa - 2009
Taiwan:
Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Jade - 1999
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See also
In Spanish: Leonel Fernández para niños
