Fuel prices rise RD$15 in a week, sectors reject increase for the second time

The Government raised gasoline and diesel prices by 15 pesos between last Friday, March 13, and this Friday, March 20, a measure that shakes the economy of the entire population and creates an inflationary effect throughout the supply chain of necessities.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and MSMEs (MICM) announced yesterday that, as a result of the instability of the global oil market as a result of the armed conflict in the Middle East, the Government will assume a fuel subsidy of RD$ 1,702.2 million, while providing a readjustment of RD$ 10 in the prices of gasoline and diesel, which are added to the increase of RD$5 to these same hydrocarbons last week.

Industry and Commerce explained that, to protect the national production chain, the State will absorb more than RD$45 per gallon in premium gasoline and more than RD$90 per gallon in optimal diesel.

The voice of rejection was not long in coming. The Coordinator of Don Bosco Neighborhood Organizations (Codonbosco), the Center for Education for Peace, Tolerance and Development (Cepatode), the Alexis Rafael Peña Institute for Alternative Conflict Resolution (Ircap), and the Association of Housewives Committees of the National District and Santo Domingo (Acadisando), rejected that for the second time the increases announced by the Government through the MICM.

These organizations categorically rejected the increase in fuel prices, noting that the Government had been collecting the tax for five years without it increasing in previous years.

These entities, although they welcomed the fact that Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) remains at the same price, stressed that rising prices of other fuels will further burden the necessities of the country’s homemakers, transporters, merchants, farmers, and producers.

Social organizations in Greater Santo Domingo and the National District maintain that four million people will suffer the consequences of the high cost of the family basket and that President Luis Abinader has not presented the country with a plan to combat it.

They indicated that citizens can no longer bear the weight of food and that, based on how they see the President’s officials, the country seems to be heading towards a precipice.

They say that if the upward fuel policy continues, the country could become chaotic due to constant protests in the needy sectors of the National District and the province of Santo Domingo, since poverty is suffocating Dominican homes. Neighborhood leaders Ángel Molina, José Mieses, Barbina Herrera, Altagracia Brand, Fiordaliza Guzmán, Alexis Rafael Peña, Arsenio Pineda, Felicita Disthmey, Ynocencio Reyes, and Pedro Mota point out that the Governing Council should be convened as urgently as possible to seek solutions that favor the Dominican people.

They stated that now more than ever, neighborhood, social, ecclesial, youth, sports, peasant, homemaker, union, and worker organizations must unite to defend the rights of the population, and they expressed their trust that President Luis Abinader will reverse the increase in fuel prices.

From 21 to March 27

The Government yesterday ordered that premium, regular, and diesel gasoline would rise from midnight this Saturday to RD$10.00, with premium sold at RD$305.10 per gallon and regular at RD$287.50 per gallon. In contrast, regular diesel rose to RD$239.80 per gallon, Optimo diesel to RD$257.10, Avtur to RD$323.49, and Kerosene to RD$366.60.

LPG and natural gas maintained their prices at RD$137.20 and RD$43.97, respectively.