Dominican Republic's Abinader vows economic growth, social reforms in second term

By Sarah Morland

(Reuters) -Dominican Republic leader Luis Abinader assumed his second four-year term as president on Friday, vowing economic growth and a set of social reforms while criticizing the aftermath of the recent elections in Venezuela.

Abinader, a 57-year-old former businessman, cinched another term when he secured 58% of the vote in May on a pro-business platform with a tough stance on corruption and barring migrants from neighboring conflict-hit Haiti.

"There is no magical solution for success but we have a simple recipe to achieve it," Abinander said in a livestreamed ceremony, pledging to promote private investment to grow the economy and strengthen transparency and efficiency in public spending.

The Dominican Republic, the largest economy off the continental Americas, aims to double its $113-billion gross domestic product by 2036.

Guests from the political and private sectors - including the presidents of Panama, Uruguay and Paraguay - dressed in white gathered for the event at the capital's National Theater.

Abinader said he would present reforms to lawmakers looking to improve labor rights, social protection, ensure the electoral body's independence and prevent future presidents from exceeding the two-term limit defined in the constitution.

Abinader's Modern Revolutionary Party won a strong majority in both upper and lower houses, allowing them to easily pass laws.

"We do not believe in strongman personalities or in messianic leaders who want to hold a country's destiny in their hands," he said, before criticizing political violence and a lack of political transparency following Venezuela's July 28 vote.

Regional leaders present are expected discuss the outcome of Venezuela's contested July election on the sidelines of the event.

The Dominican Republic is among several nations Venezuela has cut relations with due to its opposition to Venezuelan authorities' ratification of President Nicolas Maduro as victor.

Abinader also vowed to boost security by training 20,000 more police over the next four years. His nation has deported hundreds of thousands of migrants from neighboring Haiti and bolstered border security as a gang conflict continues to drive people into makeshift camps and plunges millions into hunger.

Abinader has urged the full deployment of a long-awaited security mission to Haiti, but said his country will not intervene. "We ask that Haiti is not forgotten again, but you can't ask more of the Dominican Republic," he said.

Late Thursday, Abinader announced some major appointments to his cabinet, including economist Joel Santos as mines and energy minister.

The Dominican Republic is home to Puerto Viejo, one of the world's largest gold mines, and is also an important global supplier of ferronickel.

Jose Ignacio Paliza, PRM party president and a former senator for the northern Puerto Plata province, was named minister of the presidency, coordinating between the president and other sectors.

Abinader also signed a decree for key members of the financial administration to stay on in their posts, including long-standing central bank veteran Hector Valdez as the authority's governor, Clarissa de la Rocha as its vice governor and Alejandro Fernandez as superintendent of the country's banking watchdog.

(Reporting by Sarah Morland; editing by Jonathan Oatis, Angus MacSwan and Nick Zieminski)