In a high-profile display of retail politics, President Luis Abinader took time during the holiday season to engage with one of the country’s most influential grassroots groups: the national barbering and hairstyling subsector. The 16 December 2025 event, titled Peluqueros RD 2025, served as a strategic platform for the President to project an image of accessibility and “closeness” to the people at a time when his administration’s reputation has been clouded by the ongoing Senasa corruption scandal. By focusing on a trade that sits at the heart of Dominican neighborhood life, the President seemed to pivot the national narrative toward his social agenda and away from institutional controversy where government controls seemed to have failed over the past five years.
The gathering at the Nuevo Domingo Savio Sports Center was punctuated by a highly symbolic moment when Abinader sat for a haircut by Billy Núñez, a barber with over five decades of service to his community. This gesture was more than a mere photo-op; it was a calculated nod to the dignity of manual labor. During his address, the President defined the sector as a pillar of social impact, noting that barbers and stylists do more than cut hair. They bolster the self-esteem and well-being of thousands of Dominican families.
To move beyond symbolism, the President announced a series of structural supports aimed at formalizing the barber business sector. He revealed plans for a new cooperative designed to provide barbers with a secure framework for savings and credit, addressing the historical lack of financial backing for independent tradespeople. Furthermore, he issued direct instructions to his cabinet to establish specialized credit lines for the beauty sector and to scout locations for a dedicated social club in the National District. These initiatives, Abinader argued, are essential for a workforce whose talent is recognized internationally, with Dominican barber associations now thriving also from Switzerland to the United States.
The event also functioned as a large social outreach program, with 1,000 participating professionals providing 5,000 free haircuts to local residents. This act of community service was framed by Rolfi Rojas, of the Presidential Commission for Neighborhood Development, as a way to “reinforce citizen trust” and ensure that no sector feels abandoned by the state.
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Presidency
17 December 2025