María Esther Fernández, president of AMCHAMDR's Legal Committee, delivered the welcoming remarks, emphasizing the need to resolutely confront malpractice that undermines our nation's democracy.

Santo Domingo, February 18, 2016The American Chamber of Commerce held a "Business Breakfast" on the topic "Populism vs. the Republic," with the participation of Gloria Álvarez, a political scientist and communicator from Guatemala. Álvarez has been hailed as a hemispheric phenomenon through her articles and video, which have gone viral on social media, sparking a constructive dialogue not only in Guatemala but throughout the region about what it means to be a responsible citizen of a democratic republic.

The event addressed the implications and consequences of populism in Latin America, the importance of raising awareness of public institutions as the foundation of a market economy, and an analysis of the Dominican context of this political movement.

At the end of his presentation, Álvarez participated in a panel in which he explained how these regional trends are playing out in the Dominican Republic. The invited experts included Rodrigo Arenas, president of the National Civic Movement; Rosario Espinal, PhD in Sociology; and Servio Tulio Castaños, executive vice president of FINJUS. The panel was moderated by María Esther Fernández, president of the Legal Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce.

2016 is an election year, making it important to debate the importance of raising public awareness so that people can cast their votes based on the government's proposal and development plans in the country's key areas.