The Abinader administration spends billions to get its propaganda out through the media. But at the same time the President nor top officials have been available for questioning by journalists.
Benjamin Morales, managing editor of Diario Libre, complains about the anti-democratic practices of the Abinader administration in its dealings with the press. The leading newspaper criticizes the current communication policies of the Abinader administration. Morales writes the world is filling up with governments and government officials who understand they should not be held accountable or be subject to public scrutiny.
“It must put an end to the bad habit of holding events in which questions are not allowed, of sending requests for documentation to the cumbersome system of public access to information, of responding to specific requests for reaction in a public press release or of offering official statements on social network profiles. In a democracy, that is not acceptable, period. How is it possible for the spokesperson of the Presidency to respond or make announcements in a video on his social networks? He is the spokesperson, for God’s sake! That is his job, to talk to the press on behalf of the government and the Presidency,” writes Morales.
He urges the Abinader administration to adopt the good habits of dealing with the press and be available to answer the questions of the journalists.
Alicia Ortega of El Informe con Alicia Ortega publishes a report on apparent wasteful spending with the appointment of employees that can’t be located. The bosses of these were not available for questioning. In her report on 6 March 2023, she focuses on the steep increase in government jobs.
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7 March 2023