Frente Amplio questions President Abinader’s message and warns of a hard blow to the cost of living

Santo Domingo. – The Frente Amplio questioned President Luis Abinader’s recent address to the nation, pointing out that, far from offering real solutions, his proposals reveal serious contradictions in the government’s economic policy, particularly in the handling of fuels and the cost of living. The political organization stated that the Executive is trying to justify the recent increases by appealing to the international crisis, when the data itself shows that in similar scenarios the government acted differently. They recalled that when oil has been around $90 a barrel as it is now, internal prices were able to remain stable thanks to subsidy policies, without directly passing the impact on to the population. However, currently, the government has implemented consecutive increases to fuels, bringing, for example, premium gasoline to RD$305 per gallon and regular to RD$287.50, which demonstrates a change in criteria that directly harms citizens.

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Likewise, the organization criticized that the president has openly admitted that the measures will generate pressure on electricity rates, transportation, and food, which confirms that the adjustment will directly impact the cost of living for Dominican families.

“The government acknowledges that electricity, transportation, and food prices will rise, including the recent increase in fuel prices, which translates into an economic policy that punishes the majority and protects public finances above social welfare,” states the political organization.

The political party also recalled that the State has allocated more than RD$58,000 million in fuel subsidies in recent years, which shows that there are mechanisms to cushion these shocks without the need to apply immediate increases. Finally, the organization stated that the rise in fuel prices constitutes a regressive measure that impacts the entire production chain, raising the cost of transportation, food, and basic services, in a context where the government itself recognizes that there will be greater economic pressures, and that the country does not need speeches that normalize sacrifices, but rather coherent decisions that protect the people, concluded the Frente Amplio.