The Dominican Republic’s Foreign Service payroll is exorbitant when compared to much larger countries like Mexico or Argentina. For this reason, social scrutiny of the use that is being given to state resources at the Ministry of Foreign Relations has been increasing. Last year the ministry received a budget of RD$6.1 billion pesos. Two cases under the spotlight are the Dominican personnel accredited to Panama and Canada. Diario Libre says that in Panama the country has 14 minister counselors earning US$2,000 a month, 12 counselors receiving US$1,600, 16 vice-consuls with salaries of US$1,750, five assistants at US$920, four first class secretaries at US$1,400, one second class secretary at US$1,350, one at US$1,250, a cultural attache on a salary of US$1,200 and the ambassador at US$3,000. All costs the state US$92,200 a month, almost RD$4 million.
The report makes a comparison with Mexico, which has a total of 18 staff members at its consulate in New York, while the Dominican Republic has 36 vice-consuls, and 54 assistants. The Mexicans have 10 people accredited to their consulate in Miami, according to their Foreign Ministry webpage, while the Dominicans have 21 vice-consuls and 32 assistants. Argentina has 10 posts at their embassy in the United States, and just nine in Spain. In contrast, the Dominican Republic has 30 at its embassy in the United States and 211 in the consular service, including 95 vice-consuls, 102 assistants, 10 counselors, five minister counselors and six first class secretaries.