Leonel Fernández says Dominican economic crisis stems from government policies

Santo Domingo.- Former President Leonel Fernández said Tuesday that the Dominican Republic is facing an economic crisis caused by what he described as government improvisation, rising debt, and excessive current spending, rather than by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

During a new edition of “La Voz del Pueblo,” the leader of the People’s Force questioned the government’s recent austerity measures, arguing that official claims of spending restraint contradict reports of economic growth and continued high public expenditures.

Fernández acknowledged that tensions in the Middle East can affect fuel, transportation, and food prices, but said the country’s economic difficulties began before the international crisis. He argued that the main problems stem from the expansion of public debt, a growing government payroll, and increasing subsidies, particularly in the electricity sector.