Santo Domingo, RD.
In an interview given by President Luis Abinader to the director of the newspaper El País a América, Jan Martínez Ahrensel, where social, diplomatic, health, economic and political issues were discussed, the Dominican president said he did not agree. with free abortion, but there must be causes that allow the termination of the pregnancy.
a la interview published today and that had 25 questions, Abinader stressed that the Penal Code which seeks the approval of the three causes, in case of incest or rape, risk of the mother’s life or that the fetus has a malformation incompatible with the life, is under discussion in the Chamber of Deputies, without assuring whether it will be approved.
Abinader further argued that his position in the same as that of his party the Modern Revolutionary.
“I disagree, as is the majority of the population, not only in the Dominican Republic but in the world, with free abortion, but I do think that there must be causes that allow the interruption of the pregnancy. This has been the official position of our party, “the president said.
Speaking about the Dominican Republic’s relations with Haiti, he indicated that for the first time in decades there is “a government with a definite policy towards the neighboring country”, based on migration control, as no civilized society can afford to have undocumented citizens in its territory.
He also stated that the Dominican Republic seeks to channel all possible aid to Haiti through the international community, both in health and institutional terms. “We’re going to draw attention to that, because if the international community can get tired, we can’t: everything that happens there affects us here. And we’re carrying heavy.”
He said the solution is for the international community to help donate and manage hospitals.
Speaking of country relations with the United States and China he reiterated that North America is the main trading partner with which the Dominican Republic will maintain a strategic relationship and relations with China will continue.
“China is an important country and we will maintain a good relationship, but we will be frank: in this new cold war we must have a strategic relationship with the United States,” he said.
Luis Abinader defined himself as a “center” person who defends a modern social democracy, where government resources are invested in those who need them most. “But without forgetting that we need to let the private sector work so that it has incentives and generates jobs. The best social program is job creation.”
He said the country is looking to restore economic growth for the coming year.
“Our intention is to eliminate absolute poverty, which affects 6% or 7% of the population. For this we need growth to become economic development, but we must also provide direct social assistance to those who need it most. “Here, as in other countries, the face of poverty is that of a woman, especially that of a single mother. That is what the statistics say,” she said.