Dominican Anti-Crisis Bill Moves to Congress Amid Opposition Resistance
The Dominican government has submitted an anti-crisis bill to the Senate, targeting RD$40,000 to RD$50,000 million in additional revenue to mitigate the impact of the international crisis. The Senate quickly assigned the proposal to a bicameral commission for expedited review. Source: elcaribedr
What the bill proposes
The bill, named the 'Law for Pro-Growth, Tax Simplification and Mitigation of the International Crisis,' seeks to generate around 0.5%–0.6% of GDP through new revenue measures. Finance Minister Magín Díaz described it as a limited-scope initiative to contain the fiscal deficit and fund subsidies for fuel and electricity, not a structural reform. Source: elcaribedr The legislation enters via the Senate, a different route than the failed 2024 fiscal reform, which was first deposited in the Chamber of Deputies.
Political reaction
Senate President Ricardo de los Santos defended the bill, asserting it will not harm vulnerable sectors. Source: elcaribedr However, opposition leader Leonel Fernández, head of the Fuerza del Pueblo, rejected the proposal as a 'disguised tax reform' and argued that the public cannot bear higher taxes amid inflation. Fernández stated from Madrid, 'A eso que eufemísticamente le llaman crecimiento económico y mitigación de la crisis internacional...eso no va.' Source: eldiado The bill now faces bicameral study, with a goal of swift approval.
Sources
3 quotes“La legislación impulsada por el Gobierno tiene una estrategia de nuevos ingresos que busca captar entre RD$40,000 y RD$50,000 millones adicionales como respuesta a las presiones que la crisis internacional impone sobre las finanzas públicas.”
“A horas de recibir la iniciativa, el Senado de la República dio entrada formal y envió a una comisión bicameral el «proyecto de ley de medidas pro-crecimiento económico, simplificación tributaria y mitigación de la crisis internacional».”
““A eso que eufemísticamente le llaman crecimiento económico y mitigación de la crisis internacional, desde Madrid la Fuerza del Pueblo dice: eso no va”.”