First lady Margarita Cedeño of the Dominican Republic says she will not run for the presidency just weeks after the ruling party cleared the way for her candidacy.

The wife of President Leonel Fernández sent a letter to the Dominican Liberation Party expressing her intention not to run. In a radio and television message late Monday she said, “I don’t believe the presidency is my ultimate goal.”

Two weeks ago, Fernández’s party said it had approved Cedeño as a contender in internal elections to determine who will be the party’s nominee for the May 2012 election. Fernández is not running for a third term.

The 45-year-old Cedeño suggested she declined the nomination because she did not want to divide the party

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