[2][3][4] The founding of the FNP on July 6, 1980, with the motto "Peace, Justice, Liberty", by Marino Vinicio Castillo, was regarded by many as a declaration of independence from Joaquín Balaguer.
In 1986, with Castillo running as a presidential candidate for the second time, the FNP gained 6,684 votes, equivalent to 0.32 percent of those registered.
In the 1990 elections, Castillo again ran, this time seeking backing from the poor, the peasants, and all Dominican "who hoped for a decent future".
The FNP proposed to more fully integrate the various sectors of Dominican society, to stimulate production, to combat narcotics traffickers, to fight against corruption, and to improve sanitation.
Since 1996, Castillo has been allied with the PLD and has become a major electoral support during the past two elections of the winning Progressive Bloc.