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DR: Daddy’s back

Thursday, November 17, 2011


WHAT Although elections are six months away, it seems a sure bet that Hipólito Mejía of the Revolutionary Democratic Party will be the next President of the Dominican Republic.

WHY Outgoing chief executive Leonel Fernández cut back on chronic brownouts, along with runaway inflation of nearly 60% (ironically left by Mejía in his previous term, eight years ago). But Fernández’s Liberal Democrats have done little to solve problems of high unemployment and crime.

WHAT’S NEXT A populist whose election slogan is “Ya llegó Papá” (“Daddy’s back”), Mejía is promising to create jobs, by investing in an extensive program of public works. The plan may work, if his administration avoids the cronyism that has characterized many parts of the Fernández regime. In a country whose economy has grown almost 30% in four years, with most of the income going to middle and upper-income earners, Mejía may want to do more to fight poverty.

For more information, please contact Esteban Alvarez at [email protected]