Luis Abinader facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Excelentísimo Señor Luis Abinader
Abinader in 2024
54th President of the Dominican Republic
Incumbent
Assumed office 16 August 2020
Vice President	Raquel Peña
Preceded by	Danilo Medina
Personal details
Born	Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona (1967-07-12) 12 July 1967 (age 58) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Political party	Modern Revolutionary Party (2014–present)
Other political affiliations	Dominican Revolutionary Party (1985–2014)
Spouse	Raquel Arbaje ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	3
Parents	José Rafael Abinader (father) Rosa Ramona Sulina «Sula» Corona (mother)
Alma mater	Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (Lic.) Arthur D. Little School of Management (M.P.M.)
Signature

Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona (born July 12, 1967) is a Dominican economist, businessman, and politician. He has been the 54th president of the Dominican Republic since August 2020. He ran for president three times, in 2016, 2020, and 2024, as the candidate for the Modern Revolutionary Party.

Before becoming president, Abinader was a successful businessman. He managed Grupo Abicor, a company started by his father, José Rafael Abinader. This group of businesses includes companies that build hotels and other properties for tourism. In 2022, a financial news service called Bloomberg Línea named him the richest president in Latin America.

Abinader was re-elected as president in the 2024 Dominican Republic general election. In his victory speech, he promised that the changes his government made would continue and that "the best is yet to come."

Early Life and Family

José Sesin Abinader, Luis Abinader's grandfather, in April 1945

Luis Abinader was born in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, on July 12, 1967. His parents came from the northern part of the country.

His mother, Rosa Ramona Sulina "Sula" Corona Caba, had ancestors who were mostly Spanish colonists. His father, José Rafael Abinader, was a businessman and politician. The Abinader family came from Lebanon. His grandfather, José S. Abinader, moved from Lebanon to the Dominican Republic in 1898.

Education

Abinader went to high school at the Colegio Loyola. He later studied economics at the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo. For his postgraduate studies, he went to the Hult International Business School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he studied project management.

Career in Business and Politics

Abinader in 2011

Abinader (second from the right) with other political figures.

In 2005, Abinader was elected vice president of the Dominican Revolutionary Party.

In the business world, he was the head of the ABICOR Group, which worked on major tourism projects in the Dominican Republic. He was also the president of the Hotel Association in the Puerto Plata area.

For his work in public service, education, and business, he received awards from the Rhode Island General Assembly, the City of Boston, and the Massachusetts Senate.

Abinader was the vice-presidential candidate for the Dominican Revolutionary Party in the 2012 election.

Presidential Elections

Abinader ran for president for the Modern Revolutionary Party in 2016, 2020, and 2024.

In the 2016 election, he was one of two main candidates who were born after the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. He was advised by Rudy Giuliani's consulting firm.

He ran again in the 2020 election and won, becoming president. In 2024, he ran for re-election and won with 57% of the vote. His main opponents, Leonel Fernández and Abel Martínez, received 29% and 10% of the vote.

Presidency of the Dominican Republic

Abinader's inauguration ceremony on August 16, 2020.

Luis Abinader was sworn in as president on August 16, 2020. The ceremony was smaller than usual because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.S. Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, attended the event.

One of Abinader's main goals has been to control illegal immigration. In February 2022, his government began building a wall along the border with Haiti.

Border Wall with Haiti

The border wall project started in February 2022. The plan is for a wall that is 164 kilometers long, covering part of the 380-kilometer border with Haiti. It will have 70 watchtowers, cameras, sensors, and drones.

The idea for a wall was supported by many Dominicans and other politicians before Abinader became president. Officials hope the wall will help stop illegal immigration and the trade of illegal goods. They also hope it will prevent gang violence in Haiti from spreading into the Dominican Republic.

Economic Policies

President Abinader's government has faced challenges with the economy. Some economists have said that while the government did well with COVID-19 vaccinations, its borrowing policies were not very effective. They argue that the government took out large loans without spending enough on projects that could boost the economy.

Also, some criticized a policy that removed taxes on certain imported goods. They said this hurt local businesses and did not control the rising prices of food and other basic items. In 2023, the economy grew by 2%, and the country experienced high inflation.

Foreign Relations

Abinader meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on August 16, 2020.

Under President Abinader, the Dominican Republic has worked to build stronger relationships with the United States. His government has also taken a stand against the government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and has called for a return to democracy there.

In February 2022, Abinader's government condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In 2023, a disagreement over water from the Dajabón River led President Abinader to close the border with Haiti for a time.

Pandora Papers Mention

In October 2021, Abinader's name appeared in the Pandora Papers. This was a leak of financial documents that showed how wealthy people around the world used offshore companies. An offshore company is a business set up in a country with low taxes.

The investigation found that Abinader was connected to two companies in Panama that were created before he became president.

• Littlecot Inc. (created in 2011)
• Padreso SA (created in 2014)

Abinader said these companies hold family properties and business shares in the Dominican Republic. When he became president, he publicly declared that he owned these and other offshore companies. He reported that his total net worth was about $70 million.

Personal Life

President Abinader at an event in Santo Domingo. To his left is Mayor Carolina Mejía, and to his right is Tourism Minister David Collado.

Abinader married Raquel Arbaje Soneh in 1995. Her parents are also of Lebanese descent. Together, they have three children.

Honours

•  Colombia:
  • Grand Collar of the Order of Boyaca (29 April 2022)
•  Portugal:
  • Grand Collar of the Order of Prince Henry (23 March 2023)

Ancestry

This chart shows the family tree of Luis Abinader.

Ancestors of Luis Abinader

8. Sesín Abinader (Baskinta) 4. José Sessin Abinader y Abinader (Baskinta) 9. Juana Abinader (Baskinta) 2. José Rafael Abinader Wasaf (Tamboril, 1929–Santo Domingo, 2018) 10. Bichoza Wassaf (Baskinta) 5. Esther Wassaf Sahdalá 11. Thell Sahdalá (Baskinta) 1. Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona (Santo Domingo, 1967) 24. Ramón Corona Fernández (San José de las Matas, 1843–1913) 12. Ramón Román Corona Collado (Jánico, 1881–1949) 25. María Benita Collado Fernández (San José de las Matas) 6. Rodolfo de Jesús Corona Díaz (Sabana Iglesia, 1911–1999) 26. Balbino Díaz de Luna (San José de las Matas) 13. Cristina Díaz Pérez (San José de las Matas, 1882–1925) 27. Telésfora Pérez Fernández (San José de las Matas, 1854-1921) 3. Rosa Sulina Corona Caba (Santiago, 1932) 28. Isaías Caba Fernández (San José de las Matas) 14. Dimás Caba Valdez (La Vega) 29. Lucía Valdez Abréu (La Vega) 7. Sulina Caba Núñez (La Vega, 1917–1939) 30. Jesús María Núñez Hernández (San José de las Matas, 1866–1945) 15. Antigua S. Núñez Rodríguez (La Vega, 1891–1940) 31. María Petronila Rodríguez Abréu (La Vega, 1862–1964)

See also

In Spanish: Luis Abinader para niños