Who Controls the Dominican Republic

nrg2003

New member
Jul 25, 2017
32
0
0
Sorry if there's a thread already on this topic but just out of curiosity, I wanted to know who or what controls the Dominican Republic. Today I was talking to a colleague from Mexico City and he said that Mexico is controlled by the cartels, the government and Telmex/Carlos Slim and that all three factors work together interchangeably and basically control the entire country.  Is there something similar in the Dominican Republic? I'm imagining the government and maybe a few super wealthy and influential families behind the scenes? 
 

ju10prd

On Vacation!
Nov 19, 2014
4,210
0
36
Accountkiller
Sorry if there's a thread already on this topic but just out of curiosity, I wanted to know who or what controls the Dominican Republic. Today I was talking to a colleague from Mexico City and he said that Mexico is controlled by the cartels, the government and Telmex/Carlos Slim and that all three factors work together interchangeably and basically control the entire country.  Is there something similar in the Dominican Republic? I'm imagining the government and maybe a few super wealthy and influential families behind the scenes? 

A colour perhaps?
 

nrg2003

New member
Jul 25, 2017
32
0
0
I had always heard that 5-6 very wealthy old money families were de facto controllers of the DR



That's what I assumed as well and that they then have say in who gets elected to run for president, etc. But I can't find the names. I think the book written by Bernardo Vega "Quienes Eran Los Ricos al Final de la Dictadura de Trujillo" exposed these families but I can't find the book either. 
 

Caonabo

LIFE IS GOOD
Sep 27, 2017
7,339
2,949
113
Presidente, Brugal, Barceló, Western Union, and Caribe Express. You pick the order.
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
Sorry if there's a thread already on this topic but just out of curiosity, I wanted to know who or what controls the Dominican Republic. Today I was talking to a colleague from Mexico City and he said that Mexico is controlled by the cartels, the government and Telmex/Carlos Slim and that all three factors work together interchangeably and basically control the entire country.  Is there something similar in the Dominican Republic? I'm imagining the government and maybe a few super wealthy and influential families behind the scenes? 



In the front? Dominicans
Behind the scenes? The U.S. gov.

The DR can and does push the envelope from time to time, but the U.S. gov has the last word when it comes to the big issues on the island. Internally there are no more main families behind the economy as it was during the 70’s, 80’s and late 90’s.
The Diaspora has changed that picture radically since those times.
Like the saying goes: Money is power! The Diaspora has billions to make that point.

In net terms, it’s the tourism sector the one that now conducts the economy.

The fatter your wallet, the more power you can control in the DR.
Still when it comes to the big issues, Uncle Sam has the last word.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,527
4,045
113
Cabarete
The DR is basically an oligarchy. I've heard there's about maybe a dozen families that control most of the wealth here and wield a lot of influence with the politicians and the military. The Vincini family is the wealthiest. They have their fingers in just about everything and are said to own over half of all the private land here.
 

nrg2003

New member
Jul 25, 2017
32
0
0
In the front? Dominicans
Behind the scenes? The U.S. gov.

The DR can and does push the envelope from time to time, but the U.S. gov has the last word when it comes to the big issues on the island. Internally there are no more main families behind the economy as it was during the 70’s, 80’s and late 90’s.
The Diaspora has changed that picture radically since those times.
Like the saying goes: Money is power! The Diaspora has billions to make that point.

In net terms, it’s the tourism sector the one that now conducts the economy.

The fatter your wallet, the more power you can control in the DR.
Still when it comes to the big issues, Uncle Sam has the last word.



The diaspora? Are you referring to the Dominicans that live in the US that send money back to DR to be circulated among the economy?  Do they have a lot of power from abroad? Who or what powers allowed for Danilo Medina to run for president? Was it the US government? - Sorry for all the questions, I'm just genuinely really curious. 

Also, are most resorts on the island owned by international groups of investors? 
 

nrg2003

New member
Jul 25, 2017
32
0
0
The DR is basically an oligarchy. I've heard there's about maybe a dozen families that control most of the wealth here and wield a lot of influence with the politicians and the military. The Vincini family is the wealthiest. They have their fingers in just about everything and are said to own over half of all the private land here.



This is what I'm leaning more towards especially since the DR is a small country. Super influential families that work closely with the DR government with inputs here and there from representatives of the US government.  I'm also thinking that these families must work closely with international investors in the country. 

So, are the groups that control the country small super rich Dominican families (we don't know their names), the DR government, and to a lesser extent US government/private investors? 
 

PICHARDO

One Dominican at a time, please!
May 15, 2003
13,280
893
113
Santiago de Los 30 Caballeros
The diaspora? Are you referring to the Dominicans that live in the US that send money back to DR to be circulated among the economy?  Do they have a lot of power from abroad? Who or what powers allowed for Danilo Medina to run for president? Was it the US government? - Sorry for all the questions, I'm just genuinely really curious. 

Also, are most resorts on the island owned by international groups of investors? 




Whom do you think invested in all those chains, etc..?
The transformation of the DR from that of 70’s to early 90’s is due to the Diaspora’s investing into the country.
The old families simply held to their formats and failed to adapt. The ones that did, were a bit late on the bandwagons but invest they did.

The Diaspora that returned from their overseas enterprises, came and saw the opportunities abound. They did the heavy part of the work. The sugar families own land where only Haitians would dare live at. Lots of land that’s too rural.
As of late, they had started to invest into making use of those lands for power generation related enterprises.

Danilo Medina, simply put, had backing from several sectors from within and outside the DR. There are no King makers in the DR. Believe it or not, elections are on the spot on.

The US gov stopped interfering with the DR candidates since their last ultimatum to Balaguer.

When you read up or hear the factoids about the small percenters being the beneficiaries of the bulk of the economy, take it with a grain of salt. They are still using data from the late 90’s on their figures.

Sugar is no longer a profit heaven. Same for other sectors that were the bread and butter of those families.

The majority of those resorts are today in the hands of international investors, save for some where DR investors still hold property or stakes after diversifying and contracts. Like Punta Cana or Casa de Campo...

Some of those contracts, the new investors bought the businesses but not the property rights. Others contracted the land to develop it. 

Not long ago major U.S. chains came to the DR to buy out some local chains. These local guys decided it was best not to sell and instead went ahead and invested non-stop into expanding their own businesses and refreshing their models.
It would be competition suicide for these same U.S. chains to now come and try to push their way in against these locals.

The dynamics of the local economy are far more diversified than many people think.
 

cavok

Silver
Jun 16, 2014
9,527
4,045
113
Cabarete
This is what I'm leaning more towards especially since the DR is a small country. Super influential families that work closely with the DR government with inputs here and there from representatives of the US government.  I'm also thinking that these families must work closely with international investors in the country. 

So, are the groups that control the country small super rich Dominican families (we don't know their names), the DR government, and to a lesser extent US government/private investors? 

Yes, that's pretty much the way I'd put it. Outside investors only have enough influence to get whatever they want to get their projects built which is to the benefit of DR tourism. The US kinds of pulls political strings to make sure the DR toes the line to what's in the best interest of the US.

But as far as the economy and internal politics here in the DR, these oligarchs are the ones who control most of the wealth, power, and political decisions here. The Vicinis are at the top of the "pyramid" here in that respect. They have to be the most powerful , wealthy, and influencial family here. They go back a long way.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
Whom do you think invested in all those chains, etc..?
The transformation of the DR from that of 70’s to early 90’s is due to the Diaspora’s investing into the country.
The old families simply held to their formats and failed to adapt. The ones that did, were a bit late on the bandwagons but invest they did.

The Diaspora that returned from their overseas enterprises, came and saw the opportunities abound. They did the heavy part of the work. The sugar families own land where only Haitians would dare live at. Lots of land that’s too rural.
As of late, they had started to invest into making use of those lands for power generation related enterprises.

Danilo Medina, simply put, had backing from several sectors from within and outside the DR. There are no King makers in the DR. Believe it or not, elections are on the spot on.

The US gov stopped interfering with the DR candidates since their last ultimatum to Balaguer.

When you read up or hear the factoids about the small percenters being the beneficiaries of the bulk of the economy, take it with a grain of salt. They are still using data from the late 90’s on their figures.

Sugar is no longer a profit heaven. Same for other sectors that were the bread and butter of those families.

The majority of those resorts are today in the hands of international investors, save for some where DR investors still hold property or stakes after diversifying and contracts. Like Punta Cana or Casa de Campo...

Some of those contracts, the new investors bought the businesses but not the property rights. Others contracted the land to develop it. 

Not long ago major U.S. chains came to the DR to buy out some local chains. These local guys decided it was best not to sell and instead went ahead and invested non-stop into expanding their own businesses and refreshing their models.
It would be competition suicide for these same U.S. chains to now come and try to push their way in against these locals.

The dynamics of the local economy are far more diversified than many people think.

the Dominican Republic must have a strange sociology, insofar as being under control of the diaspora. by simple analysis, the diaspora constitutes people who left the country, either for political or economic reasons. in the case of this country, the diaspora consitutes, mainly, people of peasant status who went to places like the USA to earn a living. and yes, i am aware of the fact that there are other reasons why people left, but that cohort does not create enclaves like Washington Heights.

i am not aware of any country in which people leave to other countries, make their fortunes, and come back and control. as far as i know, people who have the bonafides for control never have to leave.
 

Tom F.

Bronze
Jan 1, 2002
699
91
48
In 1996 I participated in a summer program at UASD through the Dominican Studies Institute at City College in NYC.  Roberto Cassa is a Dominican historian and gave our group a workshop and stated the country is controlled by 12 families and they have a floor at Plaza Naco where they meet and make the decisions that truly move this country.  Each family controls a certain sector or sectors in the economy.  I don't think the Brugals, Bermudez, Barcelo, Rizeks and Haches are part of the 12.  These are middle eastern families who came more than 100 years ago with the fall of the Ottoman Empire.  Besides the Vincini family there are the Betanenes who own the Listen Diario.  Not sure who the others are. 

In the late 80's, most of the US foreign aid was a $200 sugar subsidy to cover the difference being paid on the international market. I would also like to add the US military has had a very close relationship with the Dominican military since the first occupation. 
 

Kipling333

Bronze
Jan 12, 2010
2,528
829
113
What a lot of nonsense being written by some on this subject ..The elected government controls this country but needs to embrace a whole lot of views from groups who have an enormous interest in the DR . In this relatively poor country , the major need is revenue and because the USA is our major trading partner , we must have a good relationship with them . But also , the major players in the tourist industry, that presently is is our goose that lays the golden eggs , are almost all from Europe and we need to keep sweet there also . The Vincini family are wealthy in this country and do own land, most obviously in Zona Colonial and in the Sans Souci area where there project seems to have stalled . There is no evidence whatsoever that a small group of wealthy families have undue influence here although the sugar barons are important here to the economy .
So there is a mix of pressures placed on the government , just as there are in most countries .
If you were to ask what individual man is the most important , I would ,without hesitation, say the Governor of the Reserve Bank. He has done a brilliant job in maintaining growth over many years, keeping inflation at low rates and overseeing the financing of the huge infra structure programme that has been the dominant feature of the DR over the past 8 years .
 

RDKNIGHT

Bronze
Mar 13, 2017
2,715
1,435
113
US government has its paws in DR ... that's a fact....(FBI CIA SS) all have offices here... but its all the old money Families that still are making the money in truck loads here...DR is super rich in natural resources.. just like the states the rockfellas , Chase, Rothchilds ETC... still make decisions at the Bilderberg meetings for the world .. if you don't think this just research it.... we are pawns ... I was lucky not to born into any of these families.....
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
The diaspora? Are you referring to the Dominicans that live in the US that send money back to DR to be circulated among the economy?  Do they have a lot of power from abroad? Who or what powers allowed for Danilo Medina to run for president? Was it the US government? - Sorry for all the questions, I'm just genuinely really curious. 

Also, are most resorts on the island owned by international groups of investors? 

they have no power, whatsoever. the only power they have is the ability to stand in front of restaurants and yell LADRON when politicians come to Nueva Yol. the real power does not even hear them, because when they go abroad they do not go to places the hoi polloi can find.
 

the gorgon

Platinum
Sep 16, 2010
33,997
83
0
US government has its paws in DR ... that's a fact....(FBI CIA SS) all have offices here... but its all the old money Families that still are making the money in truck loads here...DR is super rich in natural resources.. just like the states the rockfellas , Chase, Rothchilds ETC... still make decisions at the Bilderberg meetings for the world .. if you don't think this just research it.... we are pawns ... I was lucky not to born into any of these families.....

absolutely right. those are the guys who decide whether or not Leonel runs for president.
 

southern

I love Hillary!
Dec 13, 2016
1,561
1
0
Sorry if there's a thread already on this topic but just out of curiosity, I wanted to know who or what controls the Dominican Republic. Today I was talking to a colleague from Mexico City and he said that Mexico is controlled by the cartels, the government and Telmex/Carlos Slim and that all three factors work together interchangeably and basically control the entire country.  Is there something similar in the Dominican Republic? I'm imagining the government and maybe a few super wealthy and influential families behind the scenes? 

Believe me, there is no Carlos Slim on this island. Carlos is worth 65 billion plus and is a schooled engineer.