The president of the New Option Transport Federation (Fenatrano), Juan Hubieres, stated that he can no longer postpone the increase in fares in Greater Santo Domingo, while the Government maintains the surcharge on the prices of the main fuels.
The public transport union leader specified that Fenatrano has done everything possible so that affiliated routes do not raise fares on buses that use gasoline: “I held back the fellow transporters, but I am not going to screw myself… I have already helped enough so that the colleagues, despite the extra cost of gasoline, do not raise the fares.”
He said that as of today, a gallon of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) should cost RD$101 pesos and not RD$135 pesos as the Government sells it. In addition, he explained that fuel prices should be as follows: regular gasoline RD$273.99, premium gasoline RD$291.67, optimum diesel RD$252.00, and regular diesel RD$236.40.
Hubieres demanded the distribution of Bonogás so that drivers can operate without sacrificing the population with RD$5 and RD$10 pesos, and also demanded the pensions promised by the Government to hundreds of elderly drivers.
“Raising RD$5 or RD$10 pesos for the population doesn’t solve the problem for us, but when the drivers receive their Bonogás and their pension, they won’t bother me or say that we sold out for not wanting to increase the cost of the fare,” asserted the public transport union leader.
The president of Fenatrano asked the Government to adjust fuel prices based on international rates. “The government is earning more than a billion pesos per week from fuel surcharges.”
Hubieres asked the Executive Branch not to continue burdening the middle class and the most destitute with taxes: “President, just as Antoliano Peralta met with influencers to find a way out of the gag law… when the country’s main problem is high fuel prices and fiscal mitigation”.
He stated that the country could explode under the fiscal pressure being exerted by the Minister of Finance and Economy, Magín Díaz, noting that people can no longer tolerate more abuses, while the powerful evade 45% of ITBIS payments.
Finally, Juan Hubieres stated that the Government has a way to find the funds it needs for the “Crisis Mitigation Plan,” by indicating that through the application of a 10% tax on the subsidized fuels provided to large companies, as well as to mining companies, all the millions needed for the fiscal reform in the country will be collected.
