El ministro de Energía y Minas, Joel Santos, explicó que al subir el oro de precio mejora la calidad de exportaciones de minería en el caso de la República Dominicana y es una herramienta estrategia importante para la economía local.
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00:00It's been a great week.
00:06We are grateful to God for his health and life for this magnificent work of penetrating
00:15your homes and being able to share important information with you.
00:21Today is Monday, February 23, 2025, a national week.
00:28This week the independence of Haiti is celebrated.
00:32Today we have several important issues and, as always, we start Monday with a first-line
00:38guest.
00:40We always have a good guest, but we try to generate news on Mondays.
00:44We are accompanied by Mr. Joel Santos Echavarría.
00:47He is the Minister of Energy and Mines.
00:50We are going to talk about mines.
00:51There are many issues in relation to everything that is mining in the Dominican Republic,
00:56but we are also going to talk about the energy system, which is an issue that has accompanied
01:02us all our lives, and we hope that at some point it will no longer be a news item, but
01:09that it will be like in any normal country, that there is no talk of energy, or of the
01:13electrical system, or of the blackouts.
01:15Look, before we start, I want to share an accident, let's call it a family accident,
01:24and it was not more serious, thanks to the help of a dedicated doctor, who was in the
01:31right place at the right time.
01:35It turns out that my son, Alfredo, and his wife, María Eugenia, with my two twin grandchildren,
01:43Mauricio and Marcelo, went to see the humpback whales.
01:48One of them, Marcelo, ate some cassava seeds, and started vomiting, they thought it was the
01:58boat.
01:59When they got here, I got up, the boy is still vomiting, but he is full of snot all over
02:07his body, and his throat begins to close, what is called an anaphylactic shock.
02:14And he said, how lucky to find a person, who was there, in Cayo Levantado, Dr. Indira
02:20Gil Cueto, who appears on the screen.
02:24She immediately mobilized, achieved a fast boat, when they got to the shore, the 9-1-1
02:33ambulance was there, and from there they went to a hospital, my son was afraid, because
02:39he said, no, there is no clinic, the doctor said, no, no, no, no, here we have the best
02:43of the hospitals, the Provincial Hospital Dr. Leopoldo Pou, which was inaugurated by
02:50President Abinader, it is a hospital that has nothing to envy to a clinic, it even has
02:55a pediatric emergency, and there, for three hours, my grandson was treated, look, look,
03:02look at that hospital, better than many private clinics.
03:08The hospital Dr. Leopoldo Pou, inaugurated by President Abinader, a short time ago,
03:13there appears Dr. Indira Gil Cueto, with my grandson already recovered, thanks to the Lord.
03:20So, as a grandfather, I have no words to thank Dr. Indira Gil Cueto, who I reiterate,
03:26God put her there, she was in Cayo Levantado, if she had not been there, I would not want
03:33to think that it would have happened, because she had the connections, she achieved a quick
03:37recovery, she communicated with 911, and when the child arrived at the hospital, everything
03:42was ready, and she was immediately treated, and immediately, no, it took two or three
03:48hours to recover, so I hope that someone who is watching the program, I give my eternal
03:54thanks to Dr. Indira Gil Cueto. On the other hand, although it is information from Friday,
04:03I think it is worth commenting, that in this case, I think that the President took a right
04:11step, extraordinary, by nominating Jenny Berenice Reynoso as Attorney General of the Republic.
04:22The general acceptance is such, that even the National Council of the Magistrate, which
04:29had up to three sessions to choose her, to ratify her, immediately in the act, she
04:38was unanimously ratified, and they did ask the President that the six Attorney General
04:45of the Magistrate, because that is what the Constitution establishes, the President before
04:49by decree designated the Attorney General, and seven Attorney General of the Magistrate,
04:54and now he submits it to the National Council of the Magistrate, the Council asked for more
04:59time to study the files of the seven Attorney General of the Magistrate.
05:05Jenny Berenice Reynoso is a case of ascent from below. Here, not only has a person been
05:13selected who is going to do a great job, but she has been given, she has been given space
05:19to meritocracy. When she was 17 years old, she was a paralegal in the Prosecutor's Office
05:27of Santiago. A paralegal is a student who does everything, from being a messenger to
05:33collaborating in different functions. In 1999, already two years after graduation, she was
05:40an assistant lawyer to the Attorney General, who at that time was Abel González. In 2009,
05:51at that time, the President of the Republic still designated all prosecutors. The President
05:58of the Republic, Leonardo Fernández, designated Jenny Berenice Reynoso as Attorney General
06:03of Santiago. And there began to make history, dealing with extremely difficult cases. She
06:10gets involved in the investigation, but she gets involved in the process. Already in 2011,
06:16who decided was the Council of Judicial Power, she was appointed Attorney General of the
06:22National District. That is, come on, she is going up. Then, in 2018, she was appointed
06:29Attorney General of the National District Court. And in 2020, President Luis Abinader,
06:37when he appointed the Attorney General, Dr. Miriam Germán, he appointed her as Attorney
06:46General, in charge of prosecuting corruption. With her appointment, there is a guarantee
06:54that there will be continuity in cases of corruption. There are several cases of corruption,
07:01some of which are already more than four years old, others have less time, and the hope
07:07of this society is that these cases reach their ultimate consequence, to the Supreme
07:13Court of Justice. But one also hopes that Jenny Berenice Reynoso looks the other way.
07:21There are cases of corruption in this government. The president himself, last week, mentioned
07:26that the Department of Ethics and Governmental Integrity has submitted 44 cases to PEPCA
07:35and that the Anti-Corruption Unit of the Contraliga General de la República has submitted
07:41more than 400 cases. So the government has been open, expeditious, and has submitted
07:48cases of government officials, of this administration. So, she has a great opportunity, but in any
07:55way, Berenice, Jenny Berenice, starts with all the support of the country, with all the
08:01joy that meritocracy has been rewarded, and a person has been rewarded who has become
08:08herself, who has grown, who has held important positions, is an academic, is a teacher.
08:16So, happy start of management.
08:21On the other hand, yesterday, the Minister of Interior and Police, Farideh Rafoul, was
08:28in Dajabon, together with the Director of Migration, Ballester Lee, and pointed out that
08:36they are going to take additional measures at the border, additional measures at the
08:43border, such as the deployment of migratory operatives, with the incorporation of more
08:49vehicles and technological resources for the repatriation of undocumented people. It is
08:54cheaper to detain an Haitian at the border than to detain him in Bavaria or to detain
09:00him in Santo Domingo. Farideh highlighted the government's unwavering commitment to
09:07the control of irregular immigration. She considers it a national priority. And this
09:16must be emphasized, that now, with more reason, because of the deportations that President
09:24Trump made, it turns out that the Cubans, like the Venezuelans and the Cubans, enjoyed
09:33a status of temporal protection, the TPS, which in English is Temporal Protect Status.
09:43Countries, citizens who came from governments where there were dictatorships, where there
09:50was persecution, or situations like Haiti, those citizens were given a special status
09:57in the United States, not of asylum. It was a more comfortable status because they could
10:03work. And in fact, there are Haitians since 2010 who are periodically renewing that status,
10:13and of almost 58,000 Haitians that there were in 2010, now in 2025 there are 552,000.
10:22That status expires in August. What does that mean? That from that moment, a massive deportation
10:33of Haitians, many who are already starving in the United States, arrive in a country
10:43where there is no security, where gangs dominate a large part of the territory, where last
10:50year they murdered 5,600 native citizens, Haitians just like them, they raped girls
11:00and women, they killed recently in a neighborhood because a gang leader said that because of
11:09a voodoo theme, his son died, he murdered 120 people, massacred them and burned the
11:17corpses. So logically, those Haitian citizens who arrive deported, where are they going
11:24to go? To the Dominican Republic. Just like the government of Trump has every right to
11:31deport whoever he considers does not comply with the laws of his country, so does the
11:36Dominican Republic. And this is a good time for President Abinader, now that we do not
11:42have pressure from the State Department as we had with the democratic governments, now
11:48that there are no NGOs that are going to slander us because those NGOs lost their funding
11:54already with the closure of USAID, then it is time to shield the border, it is time to
12:04put a stop to the arrival of midwives who today consume 30% of the births, education,
12:16the increase of insecurity, the cutting of trees, in short, a series of actions that
12:23harm, apart from the fact that the moment there are more Haitians than Dominicans,
12:28at that moment we will have already lost the country. It is not a merger, it is that we
12:32will have lost the country. So I really hope that an improvement is made on the border
12:41and that deportations are increased, they are being made, and that some kind of agreement
12:49is reached with the employers, those who need Haitian workers like construction, like
12:56agriculture, so that those workers have a status, with a contract that is inscribed
13:04in social security, and that when the work is finished, or the collection is finished,
13:11they return to Haiti, and return when they have a contract again. That can be regularized
13:17because the United States is going to do it, because the United States also needs workers
13:22for construction and for agriculture. Finally, in 2001, the province of Santo Domingo was
13:32declared a state. And until a few months ago, there was no palace of justice in Santo
13:40Domingo Oeste. Justice was first imparted in vans, in inadequate places, like the Supreme
13:50Court of Justice, where the dignity of the accused, of the lawyers, of the relatives,
13:58that dignity was on the ground, in a warm, inhospitable environment. It is good that
14:05President Ayer inaugurated a palace of justice, which, as the President of the Supreme Court
14:11said, should be an example of a palace of justice to be replicated in other provinces.
14:17There will operate not only the courts, but also the public ministry, and also the
14:24office of public defense. So, congratulations to the government for this important palace,
14:34which is a shame, as the President of the Supreme Court said, which will be rehabilitated
14:39within the second half, due to the issue of equipment, furniture, computers, etc.
14:49Notice how precious the place is. Justice advances with places of this type, because
14:56it is not the same for you to have a dignified environment, a comfortable environment, than
15:03for you to impart justice in a van, in a warm van.
15:09We are going to commercial, and do not miss the interview with Mr. Joel Santos de Chavarría,
15:14Minister of Energy and Mines.
15:49Welcome, Mr. Santos de Chavarría.
15:52Thank you very much.
16:18This is the Telematutino 11 interview, with important people, and we have important topics.
16:22Today we have an interesting personality, because he comes from the private sector, from tourism,
16:27but in this government he has held various positions. He was Minister of the Presidency,
16:32and now he is Minister of Energy and Mines. Joel Santos, welcome, Joel.
16:38Good morning. It is a pleasure to be again on this program, and I am always happy to
16:43talk about issues of interest.
16:46And there are many issues of interest, both in the area of mines and energy.
16:50Simultaneously, last Wednesday, I had the Executive Director of the Chamber of Mining
16:57and Petroleum of the Dominican Republic, who spoke extensively about all the cases that
17:03are pending, and who also drew attention that the mining law is about 50 years old.
17:09But that same day, the Minister of the Environment was at the lunch of the Corripio Group of Communications,
17:15and also dealt with many issues, but he said that the State has to propose a mining policy,
17:21already defined, or we are going to exploit our mining resources, or we are simply going to leave it there,
17:27buried there, thousands of millions of dollars.
17:30What is the position of the Minister of Energy on the issue of the exploitation of our mining resources?
17:38Well, the truth is that I am going to start with a very general concept.
17:42If I did not believe in a specific issue, I would never have accepted to be Minister of that portfolio.
17:51That is to say, I clearly believe in the potential of mining in the Dominican Republic,
17:58because otherwise I would have said, look, the truth is that I do not believe in that,
18:02I understand that I am not going to go to a ministry to promote something that I do not believe in.
18:08So the reality is that the first thing to say is that I do believe in the concept of developing a sustainable mining,
18:17a mining that collaborates in an important way, as it does with the Dominican economy,
18:25because the truth is that there is something that people do not analyze,
18:29and that is that mining, mainly the issue of gold, which is our main export product from a mining point of view,
18:38has a counter-cyclical effect on the Dominican economy.
18:43What does counter-cyclical mean?
18:45That an open economy like ours, which obviously depends on the foreign market,
18:53when the foreign market suffers, then obviously we also suffer as an economy,
18:58or when we have some kind of complicated situation like the pandemic, to give another example.
19:03But what happens with the mining market, or mainly gold?
19:09Gold rises in price, and when gold rises in price,
19:13then it improves the quality of mining exports in the Dominican case,
19:18helping to alleviate that economic situation that is caused by the external shock.
19:24And that is an extremely important strategic tool for the Dominican economy.
19:31I will give you an example. During the pandemic, when the bulk of economic activity was closed,
19:39then the prices of gold rose, and this clearly helped the Dominican economy to sustain itself.
19:49The PACE program was partially financed, but it was also financed by those mining resources
20:01that were received as taxes.
20:04That was very important to sustain the economy in those difficult times.
20:11I totally agree. As a government, we are actually working hard on the definition of that mining policy.
20:22A policy, as I said, that continues to promote mining,
20:26that continues to collaborate more and more with the economic development of the Dominican Republic,
20:31but that also goes in harmony with the environment,
20:37and that looks for a way, which is also an important element,
20:40to strengthen the communities surrounding the mining area.
20:45Why? Because you have to somehow pour resources into those communities
20:51so that they can truly feel the development of that activity firsthand.
20:57The government has done it in other areas, and obviously mining must also continue to strengthen it.
21:04It is doing it now in the tourism project of Pedernales,
21:08it has done it in Montecristi, with all the energy and industrial development
21:15that that area of the country is suffering from in a positive way,
21:20and obviously it will also have to do the same in the mining communities.
21:25At the end of the day, we also have to set the date,
21:30and we are working to be able to deposit that new mining law project in the next 60 days.
21:42That's a good start.
21:43And to modify and adapt our legislation to the current situation.
21:51He brought up the issue of the Gold Quest in San Juan de la Maguana.
21:56They aspire to make an underground mine, which is the first case.
22:00However, the opposition of the community has been so strong
22:03that not even the environmental impact study has been able to be carried out.
22:07Yes, the government's position from that point of view
22:11is that these projects are defined, or their feasibility is initially defined,
22:18precisely by that environmental study.
22:21That is, we agree that these environmental studies are carried out
22:26that allow us to define the viability or not of these projects.
22:30But in the case of the Gold Quest, there is already an environmental study
22:33that allows the coal mine, which will guarantee 25 more years of exploitation.
22:39However, there is opposition and meetings and things.
22:43Yes, let's say that the main difference has been the re-settlement process,
22:51where there are some differences in how that re-settlement should be carried out,
23:01the prices of the products, because it is a completely balanced process,
23:08where not only does re-settlement imply housing,
23:12but it also implies the purchase of those products that they have today,
23:19of those crops that those people have today.
23:22We have to work with the means of life of those people towards the future.
23:27And obviously all that has generated some differences,
23:31which through the commission in which we are involved,
23:35we are looking to solve this situation.
23:39There, we are also mediating the Catholic Church,
23:42we are also mediating the defense of the people,
23:47and obviously we as a ministry are giving all the support
23:50to find a solution.
23:53Yes, I must say about that point in a concrete way,
23:56that there have been important advances,
23:59but clearly it is a topic, let's say, that generates interests in different sectors,
24:08and those sectors obviously also get involved,
24:11trying in some cases to politicize a situation.
24:16That is part of the process that we have to live.
24:21Fortunately, many governments have been involved in that mine,
24:24because this government does not arise.
24:27No, of course not.
24:28The first contact I think was with Hipólito Mejía,
24:30then Leonel Fernández, then Danilo Medina modified it.
24:33All governments, one way or another, have had to deal with that case,
24:39and recognizing the importance it has for the Dominican Republic.
24:45Because there are people who say,
24:48no, we don't want mining,
24:50but at the same time they are also requesting a series of resources
24:54that one has to wonder where they would come from.
24:58But I also have to say respect,
25:02respect the difference of opinion,
25:04for that we are a democracy,
25:06and respect also that there are people who have their concern for the environment,
25:11but what I always say is that discussions must be held in a scientific environment.
25:19If we did it, and that applies to many activities and many issues in the country,
25:25if we keep the discussions in the scientific aspect,
25:29let's say, let's analyze what your concern is.
25:32Your concern is this, well, let's find a solution to this concern,
25:37and let's agree.
25:39If it were done that way, then we would avoid many, many differences,
25:43but that sounds very nice,
25:46but we know that we are in an environment that is also politicized,
25:50and of different ideas,
25:52and they come together, as they say,
25:56and when you come to see,
25:58that is the reality, the reality,
26:01with that we have to deal with.
26:03And I understand it, and I understand it,
26:05and obviously we have to look for solutions within that area.
26:12You talked in the other segment about the tourist development of Pedernales,
26:16it's impressive, you see that pier,
26:18arriving tourists,
26:20that was unthinkable a couple of years ago,
26:22and projects are being developed,
26:24but it turns out that Pedernales has the blessing of rare lands,
26:28that if they are exploitable, Pedernales is going to be, I don't know,
26:31a Santiago de los Caballeros, a Bávaro, something like that.
26:36What comes now with the issue of rare lands?
26:39After the statements of the Secretary of State,
26:42a study was already done by the United States Army,
26:46but what steps are coming in relation to rare lands?
26:50Yes, only in a way,
26:53and something that you mentioned that is interesting,
26:56that touristic project of Cabo Rojo, for example,
26:59is an example, there were people who opposed that issue,
27:02if one is alone on those issues,
27:06nothing is done in the country.
27:08But I think, I mean, I don't think,
27:11here they opposed it on February 27th,
27:14so the reality is that...
27:16You didn't come to the bridge of the bicycle,
27:18the Yoleros, what the Yoleros said,
27:20that they were going to lose their jobs by the bridge of the bicycle.
27:23There will always be opposition to everything that is wanted to be done in the country,
27:26that is a reality.
27:27So, on the subject of rare lands,
27:30clearly, that is a great opportunity for the Dominican Republic.
27:35It has been worked on since the beginning of this government
27:40to advance in the exploration of those metals here,
27:48or those elements here in the Dominican Republic.
27:52Obviously, it is a relatively new issue,
27:56because its use has really been defined in recent years,
28:02as technology has been advancing.
28:06The truth is that right now,
28:09we have been doing all the surveys of the place,
28:12all the explorations of the place,
28:14they have been placed, even the calicatas,
28:17to make all kinds of perforations,
28:20and we have advanced in the last year,
28:23which regularly, in these procedures,
28:27takes more than three years,
28:30to the extent that we are already doing what is recognized
28:34as advanced explorations,
28:37which are reflected in those measurements and those analyses.
28:42The idea is for us to be able to determine resources
28:47in the middle of this year,
28:49that is, to be able to clearly know
28:52how many elements we have.
28:56Well, what we have today,
28:59based on those surveys and those explorations
29:06that we have done,
29:08are inferred estimates,
29:12already based on those analyses that have been carried out,
29:15and we can already have an idea of the amount of raw values
29:20that we have of these elements.
29:23Of course, after determining the resources,
29:27by the middle of this year and 2026,
29:34we will be able to continue advancing in what is mineralogy,
29:37which is to take that raw material that we have
29:42and to be able to begin to distinguish the quantities,
29:45because the rare earths are 17 elements.
29:49So, it will be possible to determine
29:52how many different elements you have,
29:58and then you will be able to approach a net value.
30:02There have been many people who have compared values
30:05or Chinese proven reserves with our raw values,
30:09but they are comparing pears with apples.
30:12We are talking about raw values.
30:14We are talking about proven and concentrated reserves,
30:18that is, a net determination of the elements
30:22of the rare earths that we have.
30:24We have not reached that point.
30:26So, mineralogy is what will allow you
30:31to determine that issue,
30:34and its viability will also be given to you
30:38by those feasibility studies,
30:40first pre-feasibility and then feasibility,
30:44which will indicate not only the economic value
30:50of those resources that you would already turn into reserves,
30:55but also other elements that go into viability,
31:01starting with environmental viability,
31:05that is, all the environmental analysis that must be carried out,
31:09the economic value determines it,
31:12to give an example so that people understand me,
31:15if those lands are occupied by people,
31:19we return to the case because there would already be
31:22an economic cost of re-settlement or not,
31:25the quality and quantity of land,
31:27all those elements go into that feasibility study
31:32that allows you to determine,
31:34well, these proven reserves that I have,
31:40with these quantities and these costs of extraction,
31:44because you also have to determine
31:46what minerals those rare earths are adhered to
31:55and how easy their extraction is.
31:58All that then tells you if it is viable or not.
32:03But we are on the way.
32:05We are on the way.
32:07We are going to an accelerated process
32:09and without a doubt,
32:12we understand that by the middle of 2026,
32:16we could be talking about certified reserves,
32:23which obviously then puts us in another type of conversation
32:28and we can say, well, gentlemen, this is exploitable,
32:33we have to make a plant or it is going to be processed,
32:36and all these issues would already be…
32:39Which will undoubtedly be in partnership with North American companies.
32:42Well, the realities that we have had so far,
32:46and I must make the clarification,
32:48the Dominican government has been hiring
32:53the US body of engineers
32:56for their scientific knowledge in the field,
32:59which they have not only collaborated with
33:02and advised here in the Dominican Republic,
33:04they have done it in other countries.
33:08So far, it does not mean that rare earths
33:11do not have geopolitical importance,
33:14because of course they do.
33:16For some reason, the Secretary of State omitted it.
33:18That's right.
33:19But what I must say is that so far,
33:22all the initiative has come from the Dominican government.
33:26Again, it will have geopolitical importance,
33:29but the conspiracy theory begins,
33:32that the body of engineers,
33:35people imagine that they are soldiers who arrive,
33:38that is not the case,
33:40they are scientists who work,
33:42technicians around the world,
33:45which is good that we have been able to hire them,
33:49and I want to underline that we have hired them,
33:53so that they can help us in that sense.
33:58We also have to point out two elements,
34:01from an environmental point of view,
34:03although we are still early in the process,
34:07and that is that there is also talk
34:10of whether mining development is compatible
34:14with tourist development,
34:17in this case of Pedernales and Cabo Rojo.
34:19What I also want to emphasize
34:21is that the distance is not as short
34:23as many people may think.
34:26We are talking about 30 to 40 kilometers.
34:29That means that it is further than from here to Boca Chica.
34:32That is, the distance between tourist development
34:35and the area that is supposedly the reserve.
34:38And the mining reserve of Ávila,
34:40which is where these deposits are initially.
34:43Also, from an environmental point of view,
34:46it is important to make the observation
34:49that the mining reserve of Ávila,
34:51which is worth the redundancy,
34:53reserved for these purposes,
34:55is not in any national park.
34:58That is also something that has been asked
35:01and has been observed.
35:04And the other thing also,
35:06to see the environmental impact,
35:09we do have to go through the process of mineralogy.
35:12But initially,
35:15we also have to explain
35:17that in the case of the Dominican Republic,
35:21unlike other countries,
35:23we are talking about the fact that our rare earths
35:28are adhered to or are more connected
35:31to secondary minerals.
35:36Nature has already taken care
35:39of destroying all those primary minerals.
35:43Therefore, its extraction must be
35:47much simpler and much more friendly
35:51to the environment.
35:53In other words,
35:55technology has also advanced significantly.
35:58Of course, these are primary comments,
36:03that is, initial ones.
36:05We have to complete the processes,
36:08which are very rigorous.
36:12It is not that we are inventing, as they say,
36:16or that we are taking shortcuts,
36:20because the truth is that it is not possible.
36:22All these rigorous processes are required
36:26to be able to have certified reserves
36:31by international organizations.
36:35That is, you have to comply with some standards,
36:38with some requirements that allow you to say,
36:41well, the Dominican Republic has certified reserves.
36:46And that is, to use a financial term,
36:50what will eventually be bankable for the country.
36:53Perfectly.
36:54We have talked to the Minister of Mines.
36:57We are going to talk in the other segment
36:59with the Minister of Energy.
37:01We will be back in a few minutes
37:03with Mr. Joel Santos.
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41:46We have to mention the renewable energies that have been, to use a colloquial term,
41:52have been a boom in the country.
41:54When the government of President Luis Abinader was inaugurated in August 2020,
42:00there were 555 megawatts of renewable energy here.
42:05Those 500 megawatts became, in December 2024, 1,368 megawatts.
42:15That is to say, more than doubled the installed capacity of renewable energies.
42:22And today, there are already more than 20 projects in development,
42:29in addition to the projects that are pending to start,
42:34that have, let's say, approved permitology,
42:38or let's say, temporary permitology that has been granted,
42:44but projects that are already in development are more than 1,000 megawatts of installed capacity,
42:50in addition to another 2,000 that are in the process of permitology.
42:55We are then talking about the fact that, with certainty,
43:00the amount of renewable energy by 2028 is going to double.
43:08In fact, I must mention an important milestone that happened,
43:14and I will be exact, on Saturday, February 8, at 1.38 pm.
43:21What was that historical event that reflects a little in the direction that we are going?
43:26For the first time in the history of the Dominican Republic,
43:30the power of renewables exceeded 50%.
43:39That is to say, it exceeded all the energy, all the availability of additional sources of energy,
43:45including thermal power plants,
43:48by having 1,222.75 megawatts at that time.
43:54Which is a historical fact.
43:56It is true that it is a specific issue,
43:59but we already have the capacity for renewable energy,
44:04in specific points of the day,
44:06to generate more than thermal energy.
44:09The pending issue is the issue of losses.
44:12Yes. So, referring to, well, continuing with that line of thought,
44:18what are the challenges?
44:20What should the government continue to do
44:22in the face of that significant increase in energy supply?
44:26Continue to strengthen the transmission lines,
44:29mainly between 145 kVA and 138,
44:35which should strengthen what I call the arteries or veins of the system,
44:41and then continue to improve the distribution system.
44:46How to continue to improve the distribution system?
44:49Continue to invest in the improvement of the networks,
44:52which is what Celso Marrancini has insisted on so much,
44:58and that he is working hard in that regard.
45:01Continue to install the energy transformers,
45:05the power transformers,
45:08the smart meters,
45:10that is, to use technology so that the measurements,
45:15which include the cuts, are automatic,
45:19and in that direction, without a doubt,
45:23also combat fraud,
45:25which is one of the cultural scams,
45:29is the term I use,
45:31the cultural scams that we have as a country.
45:36They are processes,
45:38but I understand that the population will see,
45:42in an important way,
45:44improvements in the system,
45:47because in these moments,
45:49what happens is that the principles are hard, gentlemen.
45:52People have to understand that for things to improve,
45:56they have to feel difficult moments,
46:00but the reality is that the system is on its way to great improvements.
46:08I am not going to make the mistake of others,
46:11who said that in 30 days, in 60 days,
46:14they would solve the electricity problem.
46:16I am not going to fall into that,
46:18but without a doubt,
46:20I can say that the population will see
46:23important improvements in that regard.
46:25Hopefully, in 2028, the losses will decrease by 10 points.
46:29Well, the objective is precisely that,
46:33to continue improving the losses
46:36in such a way that they can fall by more than 10 points.
46:40That is the reality.
46:42With the significant savings that this implies for the country,
46:48and clearly, it is true,
46:50to be able to dedicate them to capital investments,
46:53both capital investments in the same electrical sector,
46:56as the capital investments that the country needs
47:00from the point of view of infrastructure.
47:02The subsidy represents the third part of the fiscal deficit.
47:06That is correct.
47:08I have always said it.
47:10We cannot talk about the fiscal deficit
47:13without including, unfortunately, the electrical deficit.
47:17That is why the government is taking important measures,
47:22always looking for,
47:24and in part, the latest decisions have gone in that direction.
47:29It is true that one has to recognize
47:32that one cannot try to permanently affect
47:35the people who are fulfilling their obligations
47:39from the point of view of paying for energy.
47:42That has always been present in us,
47:46and obviously, as I said,
47:48the latest decisions are oriented in that direction.
47:51I, the saint, thank you very much.
47:53You have given a lot of permissions
47:55and you have dealt with issues of great interest to the country.
47:58I hope to see you again soon.
48:00It will always be a pleasure and an honor.
48:03We are going to commercialize this kind audience,
48:05the final stretch of Telematutino 11.
48:29Telematutino 11
48:50Magnificent interview by Joel Santos,
48:52Minister of Energy and Mines.
48:55With this we have survived Monday
48:57and we continue with a lot of faith,
48:59with a lot of energy,
49:00because the Lord is in control.
49:02See you tomorrow, God willing.
49:27Telematutino 11