Dominican public debt reached 69,427 million dollars by September 2026, driven by an expansion in domestic and external borrowing. The administration under President Luis Abinader recorded the highest average annual debt increase since 2001, pushing debt servicing costs to consume nearly a quarter of state revenue projected for 2027.
Public financial obligations in the Dominican Republic expanded during the first eight months of 2026, according to official data released by the Dirección General de Crédito Público. The total debt of the non-financial public sector increased by 6,099.8 million dollars, shifting the overall balance from 61,549.9 million dollars in December 2025 to 67,649.7 million dollars in August 2026, marking a 10 percent rise in less than a year.
By September 2026, additional bond issuances of 1,600 million dollars lifted the aggregate public debt figure to 69,427 million dollars. When evaluated over a twelve-month horizon, the total public sector obligations increased by more than 8,000 million dollars compared to the 61,549.9 million dollars registered in August 2025. Between August 2023 and the same period in 2026, public sector debt grew by 12,820.9 million dollars. Government obligations registered under the Central Government accounted for 99.9 percent of the non-financial public sector debt balance at the close of 2026, remaining lower by roughly 53.1 million dollars and placing the vast majority of liabilities under central management.
The absolute increase of 365,988 million pesos in the non-financial public sector debt during the first eight months of 2026 surpasses the budgetary allocation for the Ministerio de Educación for the year, which stands at 332,030.6 million pesos. It also exceeds the resources assigned to the Administración de Deuda Publica y Activos Financieros del Estado, which holds a budget of 349,950.0 million pesos. These two administrative bodies maintain the largest funding allocations across the Dominican state for 2026.
Domestic Borrowing Growth Outpaces External Liabilities
External creditors continue to hold the larger share of the nation’s financial obligations, but internal debt expanded at a notably faster rate. Out of the 67,649.7 million dollars registered in August 2026, external debt accounted for 48,105.4 million dollars, representing 71 percent of the total non-financial public sector liabilities.
Domestic obligations stood at 19,544.3 million dollars at the close of August 2026. While external debt grew by 2,626.1 million dollars—a 5.8 percent increase—since December 2025, internal commitments expanded by 3,473.7 million dollars, representing a 21.6 percent jump over the same eight-month timeframe.
Historical Comparison Across Successive Administrations
An analysis published by the newspaper El Dinero indicates that the current administration under President Luis Abinader accumulated the highest average annual debt increase among presidential terms since 2001 (Almomento). The comparative assessment attributes debt to each administration up to August 16 of the respective transition year, corresponding to the outgoing mandate.
| Administration Period | Presidential Term | Average Annual Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 2001–2004 | Hipólito Mejía | 835.4 million dollars |
Over this 25-year span, the overall weight of public debt relative to the gross domestic product shifted upward from 15.6 percent in 2001 to 46.6 percent in August 2026. Since the beginning of the century, the state expanded its use of debt instruments not solely to fund specific projects, but also to cover investment expenditures and portions of the fiscal deficit.
Budgetary Projections and Interest Servicing Pressures for 2027
The draft budget under review in Congress projects that the central government will disburse RD$ 351,327 million solely for interest payments by 2027 Acento. This cost translates to RD$ 963 million daily, or approximately RD$ 40 million every hour, before accounting for any principal repayments. For 2027, the government must also allocate RD$ 198,000.0 million for loan amortizations, bringing total debt service requirements to RD$ 549,327.0 million.
To meet maturing loan obligations, the government anticipates seeking gross financing of RD$ 464,126 million for 2027. Gross financing represents roughly 7,735 million dollars. Fiscal planning documents indicate that public debt is slated to expand from approximately RD$ 4.0 billones in 2026 to RD$ 4.5 billones in 2027, eventually reaching RD$ 6.0 billones by 2030.