Almost everything has been open in the Dominican Republic for the past two weeks. Hotels & resorts are authorized to book 100% of their capacity. Curfew nationwide is set at 11pm with two hours of free circulation. There no longer is a curfew in the National District and La Altagracia (Punta Cana, Bayahibe-Dominicus, Higuey and Veron).
It is hard to understand the need for continuing the National State of Emergency. Yet, the Senate voted in favor of extending for another 45 days the National State of Emergency that would have expired on 26 August 2021. The government is extending the state of exception on grounds of the possibility that there could be a surge in Covid-19 cases in the future due to the imminent arrival of the Delta variant. The authorities forecast the variant could cause a spike in cases at a time when in-person learning has been authorized in both private and public schools.
Art. 262 of the Dominican Constitution on states of exception says that a state of exception is an extraordinary situation that seriously affects the security of the nation, its institutions and individuals and under which ordinary powers of government are insufficient. Art. 265 of the Constitution says that the state of emergency may be declared when events occur that seriously and imminently endanger, or threaten to endanger, the country’s economic, social or environmental stability or constitute a public calamity.
Nevertheless, constitutional law expert, Cristobal Rodríguez understands the President is abusing his power. Rodríguez disputes the extension of the state of emergency. He said a possible future outbreak of the pandemic as the reason means there is no reason now for keeping the extension. He understands that using the state of emergency as a preventive measure is not compatible with the Constitution. “One cannot limit rights on the grounds of ‘what may happen,'” writes Rodriguez in his tweet.
In the past, the National State of Emergency has allowed the government to fast-track procurement. The Procurement Agency (DGCP) issued a statement saying that the situation is different now.
Vice President Raquel Peña, who presides the Health Cabinet, has said that 70% of the population need to be fully vaccinated to lift the National State of Emergency.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
El Nuevo Diario
Hoy
DR1 News – Covid Bulletin 527 – 25 August 2021
27 August 2021