Trump may push Dominican Republic out of free trade pact: report

Santo Domingo.- Amid the hopes of some Dominican officials and business leaders to revise the United States-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (Cafta-DR) to reap additional advantages from the pact, it’s now come to light that Donald Trump’s administration has threatened Dominican Republic’s permanence in Cafta-DR.

Agriculture minister, Osmar Benítez, had recently said that Dominican Republic was in the process of requesting a review of the pact and already counted with president Danilo Medina’s authorization.

But on Wed. deputy Faride Raful cautioned of Trump’s Dominican Republic on the intentions to push Dominican Republic out of the agreement and El Salvador and Nicaragua as well. She urged unity among all Dominicans to deal with the situation.

“The news that the US government is studying the expulsion of DR from Cafta-DR should move all sectors of the nation to design an action plan that averts a measure like that, which will affect us all,” tweeted the legislator of the opposition party (PRM) citing the Miami-based El Nuevo Herald.

Venezuela, China effect

Dominican pundit Bernardo Vega on Thurs. cited Dominican Republic’s waffling in its position regarding Venezuela, and its recently-established ties with China as the possible reasons behind Washington’s displeasure with Santo Domingo.

Rumor

Early Thurs. Dominican Foreign minister, Miguel Vargas labeled as ‘journalistic rumors’ Dominican Republic’s possible ouster along with other Central American countries from the agreement with the US.