The Dominican ambassador to Spain, Juan Bolívar Díaz, said that bilateral relations have strengthened, and that Spanish investment and the Dominican Republic is “very strong” to the point that in 2022 it grew by 36% from one year to the next, and in 2023 “just over” 36%.
He reported that they are currently organizing three missions of businessmen from Madrid, Galicia, and Catalonia, two of which will travel to the Dominican Republic in the first three months of this year and another later in the year.
Díaz spoke during a cocktail party he hosted at his residence for a delegation of judges and technicians from the Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ), and the president of the Constitutional Court (TC), Justice Napoleón Estévez Lavandier.
He emphasized that the growth in Spanish investments in the last two years occurred despite some problems pending solutions in the country, and others that existed in the past with Spanish investors. “In other words, foreign investment is growing a lot, with all areas of you over there and some problems that are pending solution dating back to some cases in the past with foreign investors,” Diaz said.
He added that currently in Spain word is that “the Dominican Republic is trending”, attributable to several factors, the main one being the speed with which tourism recovered; and the reduction of corruption. “In the field of tourism, 80% of hotel rooms are owned by Spanish companies, and that has been reflected here.”
He said that Spaniards are also impressed by the reduction in corruption in the country over the past three years. “It hasn’t been eliminated. No one can be under any illusions that corruption can be eliminated completely, not even in the Nordic countries, which are the epitome of transparency and cleanliness, there is always corruption,” the diplomat clarified.
Lagging Trade
Diaz admitted that, in the area of trade, relations between the two countries have not advanced, but that the Dominican Republic has room to grow in that area and in activities. “Trade is very uneven between the two countries; Spain has 90% of the trade, valued at around €902 million per year. Last year we had only 10% of the total trade,” he said.
He indicated that the country exports rums, tobacco, and other agricultural products such as avocados to Spain, adding that Dominican rums dominate the market. “Barceló rum is the best-selling spirit of all, even more than all the whiskey brands, more than all the brands of brandy and other rums. Barceló is the best seller here in Spain; and Brugal, has a pretty good market as well,” he added.
He indicated that they now have many activities with businessmen and have invited almost all regions to hold meetings with the chambers of commerce and said that there is a lot of enthusiasm and a great desire to improve.
Working with “Misfits”
Díaz also said they are working to “bring the embassy closer to Dominicans,” which is the mandate of the government’s foreign policy that fosters promoting and defensing Dominicans abroad. He went on to say that they have been working on a project, together with the Dominican community, focused on two youth gangs which have grown in Spain, a project that took a lot of time and resources at the time.
“Agrupación Juveniles de Calles” (Youth Groups of Streets) is how the program directed by Dominican anthropologist Keila Núñez identifies the two gangs of youths who confront and even kill each other. Almost all of them were born in Spain or were brought by their mothers, most of whom were domestic workers.
“We reached them through sports. Since they are on the playing courts, we invaded the sports field by announcing tournaments. We have given out 900 uniforms for the neighborhood basketball and volleyball teams; The kids play football with the Spaniards, so that they integrate into the system,” he explained.
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