Government vehicle purchases soar despite austerity plan, Diario Libre reports. Data shows that in the first three years of President Luis Abinader’s administration, annual spending on vehicle acquisitions skyrocketed by 123%.
The increase comes despite a directive from the president himself to limit these purchases, first issued in June 2021 as part of a broader austerity measure.
Diario Libre says that the majority of the vehicles acquired have been for essential services like emergency response, public safety, and school transportation, yet several SUVs have also been purchased for government officials.
The trend marks a sharp reversal from the previous administration. According to data from the General Public Procurement Agency (DGCP), spending on motor vehicles dropped by 87.21% between 2018 and 2020, falling from RD$4.3 billion to RD$550 million in the pandemic year of 2020.
However, the Abinader administration reversed this downward trend, increasing spending by 590.91% in the same year it issued Decree 396-21. This decree was intended to “rationalize important components of public spending” and prohibited the purchase of motor vehicles by the central government, with the exception of “utility” models. Even for these, written authorization from the Ministry of the Presidency is required. The decree has been renewed and remains in effect.
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Diario Libre
8 September 2025