SANTO DOMINGO.– The Americas Barometer survey, Dominican Republic 2023: “Taking the Pulse of Democracy”, released yesterday by the Latin American public opinion research center LAPOP Lab, at Vanderbilt University, reveals that one in two Dominicans mentions an economic issue as the most serious problem in the country in 2023.
The report, presented at the Pontifical Catholic University Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) and sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), states that in 2023, after 15 years, the economy once again became the most important problem among Dominicans since 2008, when more than half of the population saw this issue as the main difficulty.
Last year, 2023, with 50% of respondents citing the economy as the country's most pressing problem, far surpassing security (21%), other issues (21%), and politics (8%). The Barometer acknowledges this trend, despite the economic growth the Dominican Republic has experienced over the past decade.
“While the country is becoming richer at a faster pace compared to other countries in the region, Dominicans are also experiencing inflation, wage gaps, and a lack of quality employment that accompany their remarkable growth,” the results presented by María Fernanda Boidi, editor of the report and director of Fieldwork and Regional Alliances at LAPOP LAB, point out.
As in most countries in the region, a majority in the Dominican Republic say the economy has worsened.
As in most Latin American and Caribbean countries, more than 60% of Dominicans see most politicians as corrupt.
On average, younger citizens are more likely to cite economic problems.
Around two out of five people think that voting is the best way to influence change in the country
The Dominican Republic is among the countries in the region with the greatest support for democracy.
The study also considers other factors, such as the rule of law, state capacity, trust, migration, corruption, security, among others.
Corrupt
At least 62% of Dominicans believe that more than half or all of the country's politicians are corrupt, according to data shown in the survey.
The country is approaching the average for Latin America and the Caribbean, where the average exceeds 60% of citizens' perception, with Peru ranking first at 87%.
This statement in the Dominican Republic had reached its lowest point in the last seven years in 2019, at 59%.
"This year, 2023, also sets a precedent, as 55% of the population believes that corruption is as common in men as in women, unlike previous surveys where men were considered more corrupt," the research states.
Of the 26 countries surveyed in the region, the Caribbean territory ranks 15th.
Regarding bribery, Quisqueya is among the highest in the region for justifying bribes, with 24%, in fifth place, while Jamaica ranks first with 35%.
The crime victimization rate in the country reported during 2023 returned to pre-pandemic levels, almost reaching the 26% reported during the years 2016 and 2019, according to the study.
The victimization rate reported by Dominicans last year was 24%, a figure that is above the regional average of 22% in Latin America and the Caribbean, who reported having been victims in the 12 months prior to the survey.
The country ranked ninth out of the 26 analyzed in the study, in which Ecuador ranked first with 36% and El Salvador had the lowest with 10%.
According to the study, men report higher levels of victimization at 26%, while women only reported 22%.
The study also reveals that people under 65 are more likely to have been victims of crime. Similarly, the population residing in urban areas (26%) reports having been victims more frequently than those living in rural areas (19%).
Another fact revealed by the analysis is that almost half of Dominicans feel unsafe in their neighborhoods, with 48%, ranking eighth, while Ecuador remains in first place with 64%.
