This Friday marks the end of the four years of government of Luis Abinadera period marked by unusual events, tragedies and crisis that turned the government many times and required an immediate response from the same president.
He Game Revolutionary Modern (PRM), which was born from the Game Revolutionary Dominican (PRD), had to demonstrate its ability to govern, after the PRD was marked in history by the crisis banking of 2003.
The first challenge of the new governmentclosely watched by public opinion, was to begin to administer the State in a fiscal year that was ending and in the middle of a pandemic.
He president He complained that he had not found “even a cent” to pay for the programs social FASE, Solidarity, Pa’ Ti and Stay at Home.
The authorities had to find the money elsewhere and formulate a budget for 2021 in line with the plans of the new management.
In the middle of the crisisthe loans They were the way out to cover the deficit in revenues, thus beginning an escalation in debt that has been harshly criticized by the oppositionAt the end of the first quarter of 2024, the consolidated public debt amounted to 72,781 million dollars, equivalent to 58.9% of GDP.
Haiti without government
In July 2021, the president Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. The assassination further deteriorated the crisis political and economic situation that exists there.
The assassination further deteriorated the crisis political and economic crisis that was taking place in Haiti, with the resulting migratory pressure on the Dominican Republic.
Armed gangs took control of the state, so the Dominican government had no one to talk to about the decision of a group of businessmen to build a canal on the Masacre River.
Abinader tried to put pressure on the closure of the border in September 2023, but the builders did not give in. Afterwards, the same government had to fight to reactivate the trade cross-border.
That decision interrupted a trade exchange that is around 100 million dollars each day, and the government had to help the merchants.
Abinader launched an international campaign to request aid and intervention for the neighboring country, which ended with the arrival of a peace mission from Kenya in June 2024.
The corruption
Three months after taking office the new governmentthe Attorney General’s Office General of the Republic arrested 27 officials and people linked to the previous administration, including two brothers of former President Danilo Medina, on charges of corruptionThis was only the first of several cases in which dozens of people were charged.
But the scandals of corruption They also touched the government on duty. The Ministers Youth Minister Kimberly Taveras and the President, Lisandro Macarrulla, resigned; the first for alleged irregularities and the second for the involvement of his son in the case of corruption called Operation Medusa.
Still none of those prosecuted for corruption during the present and the past government has been sentenced.
The tragedies
The current administration was marked by several tragedies. A minister was shot in his own office. The victim was Orlando Jorge Mera, head of the Environment Ministry. This incident led to a reconsideration of security measures in public institutions, including the Palace National.
Another tragic, but large-scale event occurred in San Cristóbal on August 14, 2023. A burst caused 38 deaths and left 12 missing.
In the early hours of February 5, 2024, a man rammed the doors of the National Palace, injured several soldiers and managed to enter the parking lot of President Abinader himself, who was not there at the time.
The Presidency reported that John Raymond Durán Villar was questioned and said that he acted “driven by divine instruction.”
The doors were repaired, walls were put up on the entrance street and the attacker was released on a legal technicality.
Disasters natural
In the last four years, several hurricanes and storms have caused human and economic losses amounting to billions of pesos. In addition, torrential rains flooded the capital in November 2022 and the same month in 2023.
In 2023 alone, nine people were crushed to death on the overpass at Avenida 27 de Febrero and Máximo Gómez, due to the collapse of the slabs during a day of torrential rain. Repairing this and other works cost 400 million pesos.
He government reported expenses of 9,434 million pesos in that year due to the burst of San Cristóbal and the abundant rainfall.
Starting on August 16, Abinader will lead a new management with the experience accumulated over four years. In 2028, it remains to be seen whether the PRM manages to stay in power or is replaced by the opposition.
