MADRID — Speaking to a crowd of gathered supporters at Madrid’s Eventize Space, former Dominican president and current leader of the opposition People’s Force party Leonel Fernández has issued a sharp rejection of the tax policy agenda put forward by the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), warning that new fiscal burdens would be untenable for Dominican households already grappling with soaring living costs and persistent inflation.
Fernández’s public criticism came during an event that also marked the swearing-in of new People’s Force members from multiple political backgrounds. The new recruits include defectors from the ruling PRM, the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), and the Democratic Hope Party (PED), alongside Dominican professionals, entrepreneurs, healthcare workers and community leaders based across Spain and other European nations.
At the gathering, the opposition leader argued that the current PRM administration is pursuing policies that function as a full tax reform, only rebranded under an alternative name to avoid public backlash. He stressed that the strained economic environment facing ordinary Dominicans makes any new tax-based policy completely inappropriate, noting that the government has yet to deliver solutions for the country’s most pressing public challenges despite its pursuit of additional public revenue.
Fernández made clear that the People’s Force will stand firm against any legislative or executive initiative that raises taxes or pushes greater financial strain onto working families. He emphasized that widespread public anxiety over rising inflation and the escalating cost of essential goods has not eased, and reaffirmed his party’s commitment to advocating for the interests of workers, students, women, youth and all marginalized social sectors across the Dominican Republic.
Looking ahead to the 2028 national elections, Fernández framed the strong turnout and growing cross-border support from the Dominican diaspora in Europe as a major vote of confidence in the opposition bloc. He noted that the influx of new members from across the political spectrum and the expanding base among Dominicans living abroad reflects the party’s successful, ongoing push to build its presence within the country’s global diaspora community.