Abinader governs for Dominican Republic’s rich elite, says Leonel Fernandez

Santo Domingo – The presidential candidate of the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) party, Leonel Fernández, assured this Friday that President Luis Abinader governs for an elite of the rich.

“That is the difference between them and us; they govern for an elite of the rich, and we govern for the poor,” said Leonel Fernandez, explaining that the president could have prevented the price hike, but he did not want to, preferring to benefit his cronies by granting them import permits for finished products.

“With the People’s Force that is over,” in the People’s Force, we will concentrate on local production because we all know that if we achieve more production, the products will be cheaper.

The former president explained that this does not mean that there will be no imports since there are products and raw materials that must necessarily be imported to increase national production.

The presidential candidate made his statements during a meeting with representatives of different productive sectors in the populous neighborhood of Los Mina.

There, the opposition leader reiterated his commitment to eliminating the advance payment for micro, small, and medium entrepreneurs, assuring that this would be eliminated in his government. It is not a question of removing the tax since, in the end, the tax will be paid, but in time, when profits are generated, not in advance.

In the activity, the merchants and representatives of Los Mina Sur community organizations expressed their concerns to the opposition presidential candidate about the serious problems they have to face to keep the doors of their businesses open.

The leaders of neighborhood councils, housewives associations, religious groups, and sports organizations told Fernandez about the insecurity that affects them, preventing free transit and socialization. For this reason, they called for the return to power of the person who guaranteed a safe and trustworthy environment in his government.

The country’s main opposition political entity is organizing so-called “popular talks” throughout the national territory to listen to the different social sectors and to present the electoral proposals of the FP presidential candidate Leonel Fernández for the May 19 elections.

In the activity, Fernandez was accompanied by several of the candidates for deputies of the electoral constituency number 2 of Santo Domingo East, including Alexandra Peña, Maria Gallard, the current deputy and candidate to continue, Rafael Castillo, and Rafael Cisnero.

The meeting took place in Horario Ortiz Álvarez on the corner of Calle 17-1 (Las 5 Esquinas), in Los Mina Sur, with the participation of Mr. José Veras and Mr. Jayro Santos, president and secretary of the Association of Merchants of the Los Mina Market.

Mr. José Abreu spoke on behalf of the hardware sector; Jerry Ochoa represented the owners of electromechanical businesses; Marisol Sosa represented the textile sector.

Wascar Nin manufactures sports uniforms, and Maibeht Sánchez retails provisions in the Los Mina Sur sector.

Eddy Alberto de Jesús Castillo and Elizabeth Abreu represented the teachers’ sector, while Eudosia Peña represented the health sector as a nurse.

Radhamés Martínez, vice-president of Fundación Universal and pastor, represented the evangelical churches of this thriving sector of Santo Domingo East.

This is the continuity of the social dialogues since last week when the opposition political leader headed a similar meeting with merchants and community leaders of the Cristo Rey market area.

Saturday’s agenda:

This Saturday morning, Leonel Fernandez, the presidential candidate of several opposition political entities, will formalize the alliance with the Christian Socialist Party, led by Soraya Aquino.