The general secretary of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Johnny Pujols, stated yesterday that the Government has practically replaced agricultural production with imports, which he claims has driven hundreds of national producers into bankruptcy.
“We pay for the most expensive food, the entire import policy practically destroyed the productive fabric of the national agricultural sector; We managed to have 85% of the Dominicans’ food production, that is, it was guaranteed. That gave us food sovereignty, something that does not happen now,” he stressed.
Pujols expressed that the Government headed by President Luis Abinader, upon coming to power in 2020, began a celebration of delivering indiscriminate import permits, under the argument that food would be cheaper, but that the reality has been different.
Among the products that he points out are being imported, the PLD member listed onion, rice, potatoes and others, after pointing out that importation has always existed and that it is necessary to complement national production, but with this practice the authorities are going too far.
During an interview with The Nationalthe leader of the purple party deplored other problems: such as low public investment, blackouts, citizen insecurity, lack of classrooms and public corruption, as well as the future of his party.
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Pujols considers that the motivation for the import is related to three fundamental elements: favoring a specific economic group, inefficiency of the authorities in the execution of policies in that direction and the cancellation of competent agricultural technicians to place “companions.”
He stated that essential services have not been a priority, with the understanding that they have been gradually deteriorating, under the indifferent gaze of a government, which, in his opinion, only cares about public relations.
Insecurity
Regarding citizen security, Pujols says that it is non-existent, since more events occur that contravene the laws and the tranquility of citizens.
Investment and classrooms
He deplored the low public investment, which he described as the most notable in the last 60 years, falling below 25% at times.
“What worries us most is the impact that this has on citizens, the effect it has on basic government services such as education. For the first time, we are educating fewer children than five years ago,” he said.
It points out that in 2020 there were 200,000 more children in classrooms than in 2024.
“That is to say that we are expelling children from the educational system, why, due to lack of classrooms and notice that we are talking about an infrastructure issue. While 4% of the GDP has been allocated for education, the Government has not been able to finish 11 thousand classrooms that the PLD left in progress,” he explained.
Health
Regarding the health sector, the political leader expressed that Danilo Medina’s eight-year administration has been the one that built the largest number of hospitals, but, however, due to lack of management, these physical plants are deteriorating and concomitantly with the lack of medicine , as well as the increase in the price of medicines.
PLD
Upon receiving this reporter in his office at the National House of the PLD, he was also questioned about the future of the PLD, to which Pujols was optimistic, because he believes that a recomposition of the political forces is taking place.
Regarding the resignations of PLD leaders, he described them as normal and that their management will be focused on creating real militancy and working on a true party transformation, but assuming the role of opposition, with criticism, but also with proposals.
More corruption
When asked about the corruption of the PLD government, Pujols responded quickly by saying that in this administration there are more malicious acts than in the past. He assures that a culture of impunity currently exists. “There has never been more corruption than now, ever, because while attempts are made to discredit the PLD, there are cases of corruption in the Government that are not investigated,” he stressed.
Who is Johnny?
He is an electronic engineer, graduated from the UASD, where he was a student leader; At 41 years old, he has been in the PLD for 22 years; member of the Political Committee and last November he assumed the general secretary.
