Presidency explains participation rules for LA Semanal with the press

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Presidency clarified on Tuesday that attendance at LA Semanal con la Prensa—a weekly press meeting led by President Luis Abinader—does not guarantee every participant the chance to ask questions. Since its launch on August 28, 2023, over 80 editions have taken place, each lasting about an hour and featuring questions from around eight journalists or opinion leaders, selected randomly.

Presidential spokesperson Homero Figueroa described LA Semanal as an “unprecedented exercise in accountability,” highlighting its goal of transparency and direct dialogue with the press. He emphasized that journalists are always prioritized when selecting who gets to speak, reinforcing the event’s journalistic focus.

While acknowledging the limitation of time, the Presidency affirmed its commitment to improving the format to include more voices in the future, noting that the structure is continually being evaluated to enhance the President’s interaction with the media.