A source told Le Nouvelliste newspaper that the amount would allow the companies to have cash available to place orders, and another payment is scheduled in the coming days.

“We unkown some companies´ reasons for refusing to place orders. When you tell them that the State has no debts with them, they put a dollar problem on the table. But the dollar problem has always been there”, the source said while pointing out that the Bank of the Republic prioritizes the acquisition of dollars from these companies.

In recent weeks the country has been facing a fuel shortage, which has increased the prices of basic products and services and has increased social dissatisfaction.

This week, students from Gonaïves, northwest of the capital, demonstrated in that city because rationing doubled the costs of collective transportation and against a possible increase in fuel prices in the formal market.

The day before, the Government denied the increase and indicated that private companies were responsible for the new fuel situation, pointing out that the import and distribution of oil products had been liberalized months ago.

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