The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, dismissed the Minister of Health, Plutarco Arias, on Friday, who has assured that this situation has been caused by “lies, criticism, extortion and blackmail” against him that would have unleashed “sectors interested in share the budget of the Ministry. “
This has been expressed by the former Minister of Health after the announcement of his dismissal, which has been made known by a decree signed by Abinader, but in which the reason why he is separated has not been specified.
However, Dominican media have recalled that the decision came days after a controversy broke out over a tender for the purchase of millions of syringes for the National Vaccine Program against COVID-19, which was canceled after it was revealed that the price was overvalued by 600 percent, since their cost in the market was four Dominican pesos (about five cents) each and these were sold for 25 pesos (about 35 cents), collects ‘El Nacional’.
Arias defended the tender and pointed out that there was nothing irregular in it, according to local media El Día.
After his dismissal, the now former minister has pointed out in a letter published on his Twitter profile, which he has described as “a response to a wave of infidelity and blackmail”, that some sectors have distorted his “forced, straight and transparent work in conducting of the Ministry “.
In the letter, he also thanked Abinader and the Dominican people for the “trust placed” in his person, to conclude the publication with the biblical quote “and you know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
