Luis Abinader oaths as president of the Dominican Republic
Luis Abinader was sworn on August 16th as president of the Dominican Republic, after defeating the Dominican Liberation Party with 52.21% of the votes.
“I swear before God and before the people, for the Homeland and for my honor, to comply with and enforce the Constitution and the laws of the Republic, protect and defend its independence, respect the rights and freedoms of citizens and faithfully fulfill the duties of my position”.
Abinader warned that “so that no one is confused” there will be no impunity for the corruption of the past, nor for that committed in the future.
"Juro ante Dios y ante el pueblo, por la patria y por mi honor, cumplir y hacer cumplir la Constitución y las leyes de la República, proteger y defender su independencia, respetar los derechos y libertades de los ciudadanos y cumplir fielmente los deberes de mi cargo". pic.twitter.com/jMFy20DtyH
— Luis Abinader (@luisabinader) August 16, 2020
He stressed that the official who makes a mistake, with the money of the people, will be immediately dismissed and brought to justice.
“We are convinced that corruption from above encourages corruption from below, which is a crime, which translates into insecurity. And both have to be fought without respite”, he declared.
“At this point, I want to be very clear, precise, and forceful. In the government that we start today, it will not be allowed, under any circumstances, that the corruption of the past goes unpunished, whoever stole money from the people, must necessarily pay for their actions in court,” he said.
Message to the new officials
“In the same way, I want to give a warning to the new officials who will join me in the government of change: I will not tolerate any act of indelicacy, much less corruption in my government,” he emphasized.
He advocated a system of checks and balances between the powers of the State, so that none prevails over the other, and that the government must be subject to permanent and transparent citizen oversight.
“This is also democracy and not only the specific issue of the citizen expression that represents the deposit of a ballot in a ballot box every four years,” said Abinader, who arrived at Congress in a Tesla electric car and received the presidential sash from the hands of former president Danilo Medina in the office of the President of the Senate, Eduardo Estrella.