Luis Abinader recibe Premio Internacional al Liderazgo del CHLI en Washington

Grupo Corripio

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00:00.

00:30Ms. Siliana Rose Lettinen, excuse my English,

00:45Chairwoman of Chile, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balaba, Chairman of Chile,

00:50and the other members of the Chile Board, distinguished members of Congress,

00:54members of the Diplomatic Corps, this evening honorees who have also been recognized,

01:00the Dominican delegation, most especially my daughter Adriana, who is here,

01:05who joins me in this special night.

01:11Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor to be with you tonight.

01:17I accept this recognition from the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute with deep gratitude.

01:23Not only as a personal distinction, but as a validation of the work we are doing in the Dominican Republic

01:30to strengthen democracy, promote economic development, and foster regional cooperation.

01:37Allow me to congratulate Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as well as Representative Maria Elvira Salazar and Juan Vargas.

01:45Their commitment to our communities reflects the values we share, democracy, freedom, and opportunity.

01:54I also want to honor the memory of Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balaba, whose leadership was instrumental to this institute

02:03and to deepening U.S. Dominican ties.

02:06I am grateful that he nominated me for this award.

02:12His legacy continues through his son, Daniel, who is here, who works in support of our bilateral relationship,

02:19and through his brother, Congressman Mario Diaz-Balaba, one of our strongest and most respected allies in Congress.

02:27Likewise, I recognize Congressman Adriano Espaillat, a proud Dominican-American

02:37and tireless advocate for our diaspora.

02:40His leadership embodies the importance of bipartisan cooperation.

02:46I firmly believe that the friendship between our country's most transcend party lines, anchored

02:52in shared interests and democratic values.

02:56Since taking office, I have said, democracy must go beyond formality.

03:01It must mean protected rights, strong institutions, and opportunities.

03:08My government has pushed reforms to promote transparency, institutional strength, and human rights.

03:15Our vision is clear, more democracy, more rights, more participation.

03:22The United States has been a key ally.

03:24From the beginning of my terms in 2020, I underscored the importance of our relationship,

03:30saying, we are going to strengthen our strategic relationship with the United States,

03:36our main trading partner, and home to two million of our fellow citizens.

03:42The Dominican Republic has become one of the United States most reliable partners.

03:48Between 2015 and 2024, bilateral trade totaled 154 billion, with a 42 billion trade surplus for

03:58the United States.

04:00Imagine that the country, the size of the Dominican Republic, produced the six largest U.S. trade surplus

04:08in the world, excluding the Netherlands and Hong Kong, which are transit points.

04:13This is why we believe the Dominican Republic should not be included even in the 10% minimum

04:19global tariff.

04:21In 2024, 53% of our exports, 6.9 billion, went to the U.S.

04:27We are a leading supplier of medical and ultra-violent UV devices, electrical switches, and the best cigars

04:34in the world.

04:37But our ties go far beyond trade.

04:41American companies are investing heavily in sectors like tourism, manufacturing, energy,

04:46and financial services.

04:48Last year, we reached a record 4.5 billion in foreign direct investment with the U.S.

04:55as the primary source.

04:57On security, the Dominican Republic is the United States top ally in the Caribbean against

05:02transnational crime.

05:04We lead the region in per capita extradition, and since 2020, we have expanded joint operations

05:10with the DEA.

05:12In 2024, we achieved 5% economic growth, which is double the regional average, and broke unemployment

05:21down to 4.8%, the lowest in our history.

05:29Poverty dropped by 5 points to 19%, and since 2018, the real minimum wage has risen to 38%.

05:41Our aim is to double the size of the economy in 10 years and raise per capita income to

05:4615,000 as a middle income country by 2028.

05:52This growth must be inclusive, and we are working to expand our middle class from 40% to 50% of

05:59the population for 2028.

06:02Emerging sectors offer new promise.

06:05Our rare-earned reserve, with a gross estimate of 100 million tons, present an unprecedented

06:14opportunity.

06:16Extraction will begin next year and will impact jobs and the economy significantly, but development

06:23is impossible without safety and security.

06:27We have acted decisively.

06:29The homicide rate dropped from 11.5% in 2023 to 7.8% per 100,000 citizens in early 2025.

06:40Today we are the second safest country in Central America and the Caribbean, and among the safest

06:45tourist destinations worldwide.

06:48However, the humanitarian and security crisis in Haiti continues to strain our institutions.

06:58We call on the international community to take a sustained, responsible role in Haitian stabilization.

07:05We cannot let it be forgotten again.

07:09Dear friends, the Dominican Republic is progressing stronger, more stable, and more open to the world

07:17than ever before.

07:18We seek even closer collaboration with the United States and President Trump's administration.

07:24I accept this recognition on behalf of all Dominicans, whose daily efforts make our progress possible.

07:32We look to the future with hope.

07:35And who knows that democracy is not inherited.

07:37It is built by the labor of hardworking citizens day by day.

07:43Thank you very much, thank you for Chile, and God bless you, and God bless Dominican Republic

07:49and the United States.

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