<P> In the 2012 presidential elections the incumbent president Leonel Fernández (PLD) declined his aspirations and instead the PLD elected Danilo Medina as its candidate . This time the PRD presented ex-president Hipolito Mejia as its choice . The contest was won by Medina with 51.21% of the vote, against 46.95% in favor of Mejia . Candidate Guillermo Moreno obtained 1.37% of the votes . </P> <P> In 2014 the Modern Revolutionary Party (Spanish: Partido revolucionario Moderno) was created by a faction of leaders from the PRD and has since become the predominant opposition party, polling in second place for the upcoming May 2016 general elections . </P> <P> The Dominican Republic has a close relationship with the United States and with the other states of the Inter-American system . The Dominican Republic has very strong ties and relations with Puerto Rico . </P> <P> The Dominican Republic's relationship with neighbouring Haiti is strained over mass Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic, with citizens of the Dominican Republic blaming the Haitians for increased crime and other social problems . The Dominican Republic is a regular member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie . </P>

When did the dominican republic became a us territory