Fuerza del Pueblo labels the Government as the main party responsible for environmental deterioration in the country
The People’s Force (FP) party has issued a strong criticism against the current government’s environmental management, pointing out that the policies implemented by the Executive Branch are insufficient and, at times, redundant. According to the organization’s Secretary of Environment, engineer Paíno Abreu Collado, the Executive is attempting to present as novel measures that are already clearly established in the current legal framework of the Dominican Republic.
Criticism of the effectiveness of the decrees
Abreu questioned the usefulness of the recent presidential decrees, arguing that the real problem is not a lack of laws, but the marked inability of the authorities to enforce them. The leader recalled that Article 265 of the new Penal Code provides for severe sanctions, including sentences of up to 30 years in prison, for those who commit crimes against natural resources and protected areas.
According to the statistics presented by the political leader, the outlook is worrying:
- Between 2020 and 2025, more than 2,500 forest fires were reported.
- Nearly 12,000 crimes related to illegal logging and illegal dumping were recorded.
- Judicial effectiveness is minimal, with barely 2% of convictions out of the total number of cases detected.
Demand for concrete actions, not media stunts
For the Fuerza del Pueblo, the fight against so-called “environmental terrorism” has become an exercise in political marketing. Abreu urged the Government to abandon rhetoric and focus on strengthening institutions through three fundamental pillars:
- Real investment in the dignification and equipment of park rangers, forest rangers, and forest firefighters.
- Restoration of nurseries and forest brigades to curb soil erosion.
- Greater rigor in the granting of environmental licenses, noting that more than 3,000 permits have been issued during 2025, many of them under questionable procedures.
President Abinader is becoming an expert at punishing crimes that are already punished and at presenting himself as a protector of protected areas, while regulations are being relaxed for state and private projects that negatively impact our biodiversity.
Paíno Abreu Collado, Secretary of Environment of the Fuerza del Pueblo
Contradictions in official management
The opposition leader listed a series of projects that, in his view, contradict the official discourse of ecological protection. Among these, he mentioned the facilities in Los Negros de Azua, the interventions in areas adjacent to the National Botanical Garden, and the easing of permits for various state works. Finally, the representative of the Fuerza del Pueblo reiterated that the priority must be the effective compliance with laws 64-00 and 202-04, ensuring that natural heritage is protected above private or political interests.
