Abinader requests 45 more days of state of emergency from Congress

IF APPROVED, IT WOULD BEGIN ON APRIL 16

President Luis Abinader requested another 45 days of a state of emergency from the National Congress in a communication delivered on March 26 and of which nothing had been reported so far.

The Chamber will review Abinader’s communication of Deputies, which included it in its work schedule, according to Listín Diario.

If approved, the new emergency period would affect the country on April 16, as established in the presidential communication.

“I request authorization to extend for 45 days from April 16, 2021, the state of emergency, expressly enabled for this type of situation by articles 265 of the Constitution and 10 of Law 21-18,” he says in the president’s letter.

The president points out in his communication that thanks to the curfew and the other social distancing measures adopted during the state of emergency, it has been possible to “exercise control over the disease, which is why it is necessary to maintain and modulate them while ensuring a gradual and safe economic reopening.”

The Dominican Republic has lived under a continuous state of emergency since July 20, 2020, by decree 265-20 signed by Danilo Medina in consensus with the then-elected authorities, headed by Luis Abinader.

The current state of emergency expires on April 15, so the president and his government intend to obtain the approval of the National Congress during this week to achieve its extension as of Friday, April 16.