Luis Abinader Takes Office in the Dominican Republic

Luis Abinader has been sworn in as President of the Dominican Republic for the 2020 - 2024 period, in a ceremony which took place on Sunday morning.

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Taking the oath before the Senate President, Eduardo Estrella, he received the presidential sash, followed by the swearing in of the new Vice President, Raquel Peña.

Abinader’s central speech began with a minute of silence for those who are hospitalized or at home with COVID-19 and the country’s medical personnel.

The new executive said that under his administration "the health system will not collapse," noting that funds from institutions that will be eliminated under the new government will be allocated to the health sector in a move intended to make Dominican public healthcare universal and free.

Those present at the inauguration at the Palace of the National Congress in Santo Domingo included Haitian President, Jovenel Moise and his Foreign Minister.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo led a delegation from Washington, and the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, the EU and Serbia were also in attendance.

Secretary Pompeo tweeted that he looked forward to building a relationship with Adinader, calling the Dominican Republic “one of our strongest partners and allies in the Caribbean.”

For the first time since 1978, the outgoing President, Danilo Medina, was not present at the inauguration of the incoming President.

The 53-year-old economist and two-time Presidential candidate for the Modern Revolutionary Party was elected to office in a single round vote on July 5th.