Dominican Republic swears-in new president

Luis Rodolfo Abinader was sworn in as the President of the Dominican Republic on Sunday in a ceremony attended by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Abinader, a 53-year-old businessman who has never held elected office, was elected to a four-year term on July 5, ending a 16-year run in power by a centre-left party.

Abinader finished second in the 2016 presidential election.

The elections in the Dominican Republic took place as the new coronavirus pandemic was sweeping across the Caribbean nation of some 10.5 million people.

Abinader himself had spent weeks before the election in isolation following a positive test for the virus, and the vote itself had been postponed from May due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

On Sunday, Pompeo was greeted by officials as he arrived at Las Americas international airport in Santo Domingo.