The government has failed to keep its promises to Ozama and Isabela.
The Dominican Liberation Party ( PLD ) accused the administration of President Luis Abinader of failing to fulfill the multiple promises and programs he has announced to reverse the severe pollution that has turned the Ozama and Isabela rivers into sewage streams.
During a press conference led by Alfonso Ureña , Secretary of the Environment for the Purple Party, the PLD presented a manifesto in which it describes the current administration as an " environmental betrayal ."
" President Luis Abinader 's environmental promises simply have not been fulfilled. What we've seen on the banks of the Ozama and Isabela Rivers is an ecological disaster in broad daylight," Ureña said after touring the affected areas with a technical team.
They reported that the Executive Branch has abandoned the implementation of the Greater Santo Domingo Sewerage Master Plan , especially the La Zurza–Mirador Norte subsystem , designed to intercept and treat wastewater before discharging it into the Isabela River.
In addition, the political organization reported the illegal dumping of debris in the Ozama wetlands , in operations that—they claimed—involved official vehicles from the Santo Domingo Este Mayor's Office.
"All of this is happening under the indifferent gaze of the institutions that should be ensuring compliance with the law," Ureña emphasized.
They stated that, according to data from the National Statistics Office (ONE), published last June, the budget allocated for pollution reduction fell from 883 million pesos in 2023 to just 398 million in 2024, a decrease of 54.89%.
"This is not a coincidence, but a clear example of where the government's true priorities lie," the PLD criticized.
In response to the alleged environmental deterioration, the PLD presented a series of suggestions.
Effective protection of the Ozama wetlands and immediate cessation of illegal landfills.
Restoration and expansion of the public budget for pollution reduction and environmental sanitation.
Reactivation of the Sanitary Sewerage Master Plan, prioritizing the La Zurza–Mirador Norte subsystem.
Technical closure of the Duquesa landfill, with special attention to leachate.
Resume the sanitation of the streams that flow into the Ozama and Isabela rivers.
Sanction those responsible for illegal dumping with septic tankers.
Reactivate the river interceptor and remove abandoned vessels.
Present at the press conference were Representative Damarys Vázquez ; Francis Jorge, head of Municipal Affairs; Blanca Rodríguez, former deputy mayor of Santo Domingo Norte; and several undersecretaries from the Ministry of the Environment.
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