DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

This Saturday, 16 August 2025 is a holiday in the Dominican Republic. The date commemorates when the Dominican Republic was restored after being under Spanish tutelage when local politicians feared Haiti would continue to control the country.

The date is also when Congress starts its second term of the year and when the President is scheduled to speak from Congress.

On 16 August the President takes center stage, delivering a state of the nation-style address to the National Congress. This speech serves as both a retrospective on the previous year’s performance and a forward-looking roadmap.

Traditionally, the President’s address is more than just a speech; it is a comprehensive report on government management. The administration presents a detailed breakdown of its budgetary and financial stewardship from the past year, offering a transparent look at how public...

President Luis Abinader was at Las Americas International Airport on Wednesday, 13 August 2025 for the inauguration of the state-of-the-art US$10 million courier terminal. Customs Agency director, Eduardo Sanz Lovaton explained the facility is the result of a successful public-private partnership.

The terminal, which was built with no cost to the Dominican government, will increase the airport’s package processing capacity by 186%, allowing it to handle over 4 million additional packages annually. Spanning more than 4,800 square meters, the facility is equipped with cutting-edge technology, including advanced X-ray equipment to expedite inspections and bolster national security.

According to Sanz Lovatón, the new terminal will help the country become a “world-class logistics hub.” It is designed to operate 24/7, offering faster dispatch, improved security, and...

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) says it is just waiting to open the envelope with the Emdoc consortium proposal to award the contract for new IDs in the Dominican Republic. The bidders are associated with Veridos GmbH, the German company that has been in charge of the cards for six million IDs in Haiti from 2019 to 2025.

An editorial in Diario Libre is questioning that the new Dominican ID is costing RD$6 billion (around US$100 million), when in 2014 the IDs for Dominicans had cost US$17 million.

Diario Libre reports that Emdoc is a consortium led by the Panamanian company GSI International Inc, represented in the Dominican Republic by Bernardo A. Perez Diaz. Perez Diaz appears in Linkedin as COO Grupo Upax / Amazon Web Services Admin. The company shareholders are Panamanian Jose Alberto Lisac Velez (50%), Juan J. Borja Papini (46%) and...

Asif Shamin and Gabriel Tellerías / Tata Motors

The Indian vehicle manufacturer announces it has partnered with Equimax for the distribution, sales, service and support of its commercial vehicles in the Dominican Republic. Tata Motors is India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer.

The announcement is made by Asif Shamim, head of international business for Tata Motors and Gabriel Tellerias, president of Equimax in the Dominican Republic.

The product lineup includes the Tata Super Ace for agile last-mile delivery, the Tata Xenon pickup for rugged utility, the Ultra range of trucks (T.6, T.7, T.9) for smart intra-city logistics, and the LPT 613 tipper for construction and infrastructure applications.

Tata Motors’ commercial vehicles are sold in over 40 countries worldwide, with a portfolio that spans sub-1-tonne mini-trucks to 60-tonne heavy-duty...

DR1 readers will have to follow up to learn about what the judges have decided in the case against the brother Alexis Medina Sanchez and sister of former President Danilo Medina. The today top two (Yenni Berenice Reynoso and Wilson Camacho) in the Attorney General Office had prepared a humongous file with 21 physical persons and 19 companies charged which then required thousands of hours for deliberations. All this in a country where the Penal Code does not allow for accumulated sentencing.

Alexis Medina Sánchez is the lead accused of bribery, asset laundry and extorsion to win government tenders in more than 20 government entities during the two governments of his brother Danilo Medina (2012-2016 and 2016-2020).

Danilo Medina’s sister Carmen Magalys Medina Sanchez has been accused of “irregularities” in processes from the Fondo Patrimonial de las...

When it comes to wealth in the country, mayors command a striking share of the pie, Diario Libre reports. Out of the 158 mayors currently in office, 112 have declared assets totaling RD$4.46 billion, according to the most recent sworn statements submitted to the Chamber of Accounts between April 2024 and July 2025.

Diario Libre reports that the 15 Dominican mayors who have disclosed the most worth are:San Jose de las Matas: Ramón Reyes Estévez (Net worth RD$747.7 million)Cotuí: José Eugenio Montilla de la Cruz (Net worth RD$230.9 million)Constanza: Francisco Antonio Marte Hernández (Net worth RD$155.8 million)San Francisco de Macoris: Antonio Díaz Paulino (Net worth RD$136.4 million)San Rafael del Yuma: Francisco Antonio Rodríguez Aponte (Net worth RD$115.3 million)Higuey: Karen Magdalena Aristy Cedeño (Net worth RD$112.7 million)Comendador: Liriano Morillo...

28 companies have been penalized by the Migration Agency (DGM) for employing undocumented foreign workers, in violation of General Migration Law 285-04 and its Regulation 631-11. The DGM disclosed the information in a detailed report shared with Diario Libre, highlighting ongoing efforts to enforce immigration laws and uphold public order and national security.

To date, fines collected from sanctioned businesses amount to RD$1.5 million. However, several companies have yet to settle their penalties, with some cases still pending before the courts.

In the Dominican Republic the fines for carrying out irregularities are relatively low, motivating unscrupulous owners to go ahead and commit the violations and then just pay the fines.

Companies that have paid fines:

Mudan Confort Collection – RD$450,000Wan Xin, Importadora Sexy Leidy, Importadora C&KY, Supertienda...

A historic ring, a gift from national hero Juan Pablo Duarte to his fiancée, has been recovered by authorities after a brazen theft from the Instituto Duartiano Museum, Diario Libre reported. The ring, along with another valuable piece, was stolen from a display case by a man posing as a tourist on a guided tour.

The incident occurred on August 5, 2025, when the man entered the Instituto Duartiano in Santo Domingo’s Colonial City, pretending to be interested in a guided tour. According to a statement from the Public Ministry, the man took advantage of a moment of distraction to slip into an exhibition hall and steal two gold rings from a display.

One of the stolen rings bears the image of Juan Pablo Duarte, the founding father of the Dominican Republic. The second, and arguably more significant piece, is a ruby ring that Duarte gifted to his fiancée, Prudencia Lluberes...

Two senior officers in the Dominican military have been removed from their posts after denouncing alleged drug trafficking operations involving members of the country’s own intelligence and anti-narcotics agencies, El Nacional reports.

The colonels are:Colonel Rafael Antonio Morales Herrero – Dominican Air Force (FAD)Colonel Rafael Antonio Morales Herrero revealed that he was dismissed from his role as Director of Internal Affairs for the Armed Forces on 30 July 2025, after investigating approximately 30 suspected drug trafficking cases. These cases reportedly implicated personnel from the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and the National Intelligence Agency (DNI).

Morales alleges that some officers within these agencies are actively facilitating the shipment of drugs through airports and seaports by disabling key security systems—such as scanners, X-rays, surveillance...

Diario Libre is following up on the elimination of a large area of mangrove in Samana with the suspected use of glyphosate to prepare the area for real estate development. Marvin del Cid, environmental reporter for the newspaper, explained the authorities suspect a strong herbicide was used, such as glyphosate.

Likewise, in an editorial on 13 August, De Buena Tinta, Diario Libre highlights the damages to the formerly pristine El Astillero area where Halassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme prevailed in what had been a refuge for manatees, sting rays and turtles.

In December 2023, Diario Libre had reported that there were more than 300,000 square meters of mangrove in a privately-owned property between El Astillero and El Limon on the north side of the peninsula. These were decimated in less than two weeks.

As reported in Diario Libre, the Foro Ambiental de Samaná...

The Cuesta Brava Neighborhood Association and the Institute of Lawyers for Environmental Protection (Insaproma) filed a formal criminal complaint this week against Environment Minister Armando Paino Henríquez and Vice Minister of Housing and Buildings Danny Israel Santos Comprés for violation of environmental laws and the intent of building a private development in a protected city area. The complaint, which includes a civil party constitution, accuses the officials of enabling the environmental degradation of the Santo Domingo Green Belt, specifically in the Cuesta Brava sector of Arroyo Hondo.

The legal action was submitted to the Specialized Environmental and Natural Resources Prosecutor’s Office by attorney Euren Cuevas Medina, who represents both organizations.

According to the complaint, the officials allegedly used their positions to facilitate a high-impact real estate...

Former executive editor of Diario Libre, now occasional editorial writer for the newspaper, Ines Aizpun dedicated the AM spot on Wednesday, 13 August 2025 to a problem the Abinader administration has preferred not to tackle. That of the lawlessness allowed to motorcyclists in the Dominican Republic.

She looks into the case of a woman driver whose vehicle was assaulted by a motorcyclist who threw a rock at her, damaging her front window, and how the woman reacted ramming into the very surprised motorcyclist. Aizpun writes about how people on social media have applauded the action.

She concludes: “We are fed up.”

She says the incident is a reading into what people feel about this situation in which around two million lawless motorcyclists are every day placing everyone’s lives, including their own, in danger while the authorities look the other way.

She...

The Dominican Republic is a country where the authorities for decades have looked the other way and allowed motorcyclists to blatantly violate traffic laws. Now Listin Diario points out the situation is on the verge of getting worse.

The newspaper focuses on the impact of thousands of minors driving motorcycles that adds to the local security problem.

Motorcyclists are behind 80% of traffic accidents, but the government has yet to begin to enforce these comply with traffic regulations. Thousands of motorcyclists themselves have been maimed or have died in the clashes. Minors driving motorcycles with the same lenience of the authorities will increase the local security risk.

The government has yet to install available technologies to correct the situation and rely on Digesett agents who seem to have been instructed not to let the motorcyclists be.

Read...

The United States government has seized an oceanfront mansion in the Dominican Republic reportedly linked to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, as part of a broader asset forfeiture operation totaling more than US$700 million, Diario Libre reports.

The property, known as Villa La Caracola, is located in the upscale Cap Cana resort area in the eastern Punta Cana tourism area. As reported, the location was confirmed to Fox News by US Special Prosecutor Pamela Bondi.

The US government has established a bounty of US$50 million for information that would lead to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

As reported, the Cap Cana property is one of 3,000 square meters of living space on a 6,000-square-meter lot. The mansion boasts nine bedrooms —each with its own en-suite bathroom and private terrace— as well as ten bathrooms, a formal dining...

Tropical Storm Erin continues on its westward course. As of Wednesday, 13 August in the afternoon, Erin was located approximately 2,050 km east of the Lesser Antilles, moving westward at a speed of 28 km/h. The system is expected to maintain its westward trajectory, gradually decreasing in speed over the coming days and turning to the north.

Meanwhile, Erin is producing maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h, with higher gusts, and forecasters anticipate a gradual strengthening in the days ahead. Most spaghetti tracks show the storm heading north away from the Caribbean.

Nevertheless, authorities are closely monitoring the storm’s development and path, urging the public to stay informed through official updates.

Isolated showers are forecast for the weekend, but for the most part, the Saharan Dust continues to bring grey skies and lots of sunshine.

The sweltering heat is what is most...

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) is awaiting to resolve legal matters to open the winning proposal for the new ID cards (cedula) in the Dominican Republic that was impugned by competitors. The JCE is in charge of the civil registry in the Dominican Republic.

As it stands, only one company passed the final phase, Americo Rodriguez, director of ID for the JCE told Despierta con CDN on Channel 37, as reported in El Caribe. The JCE had said the ID process would begin this fall, but it is delayed by the legal dispute.

Rodriguez explained that all claims by competitors had to be submitted by 12 August 2025 and this will be studied and decided upon for a new date for the opening of the only accepted proposal.

Most IDs in the Dominican Republic expired in 2023, with the JCE issuing a temporary validation for their use.

The Dominican Republic is about to launch a new national ID...

The duty free manufacturing sector continues to expand attracting major global clients for assembly of electronics and other high tech components, said Claudia Pellerano, president of the Free Zone Industries Association, during a recent meeting organized by the Minister of Industry & Commerce Victor Bisono to present what’s new in the sector with the attendance of President Luis Abinader.

During the meeting, Bisonó delivered the National Strategy for the Promotion of Semiconductors (Enfis) to the President.

The DR seeks to take the leap to be a regional player in the production of the high tech components for the United States market.

The Free Zone sector at the close of 2024 represented 3.1% of the GDP and has 198,450 formal direct jobs.

Read more in...

A report in Diario Libre today explains the numerous new programs the Abinader administration has unfolded over its first five years. Many of these programs are renamed and relaunched. Diario Libre checked the archives and found at least 62 launching of projects in spectacular launches of projects. The number is more than 100 if those launched by the Vice President, government ministers and agency directors is added.

It seems it is modus operandi to launch a program to meet a demand and then wait for people to forget about the demand as they wait for the new project to resolve something. This until another program is launched when the old one wasn’t good enough.

Moreso, a report in El Nacional says that the number of persons employed in the already bulging central public sector has increased by 7.7% from July 2023 to July 2025 (from 429,612 to 462,903), according to data from the Ministry of Public Administration (MAP).

From July 2024 to July 2025, the number of central...

It seems it’s pretty much up to the builder whether the current law to protect neighbors and pedestrians is complied with. Diario Libre reports that some builders disregard the law, while others right nearby are seen spending the extra cash to prevent accidents.

In the report by Adalberto de la Rosa in Diario Libre, he points out the Ministry of Housing and Edifications should ensure the application of the law.

Nevertheless, he said it is normal for construction projects across Santo Domingo to put pedestrians at risk by violating urban safety regulations. Many sites lack essential safeguards like protective netting and covered walkways, exposing the public to potential hazards.

Journalists observed numerous building sites in both the National District and Santo Domingo province that fail to install safety nets. These nets are crucial for protecting people...

Many Dominicans are surprised to learn that 28-year old Jennifer Ventura, who on Sunday, 10 August 2025 won the Miss Dominican Republic crown is a practicing civil engineer. She has especially made the people of southwestern Barahona province proud. The province last won the title in 1985.

As reported in Diario Libre, Ventura captivated both the judges and the audience with her charisma, runway elegance, and intelligence. But beyond her poise and beauty queen charm lies a woman with a strong academic background and a clear purpose.

She holds a dual degree in civil engineering from the Iberoamericana University (Unibe) and Florida International University. She furthered her education with a master’s degree in business management from IMF University in Madrid and various diplomas in areas like risk assessment, safe buildings, and project management.

Diario Libre reports that...

Rafael Antonio Morales Herrero / El Nacional

Colonel Rafael Morales Herrero has been dismissed from his post after publicly denouncing an alleged corruption scheme involving senior officers from the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) and the National Intelligence Agency (DNI), El Dia.

The dismissal, which surfaced Tuesday, 12 August 2025, was confirmed by sources to El Día, who also reported that Colonel Eudy Mercedes Ramírez Bautista was likewise removed from his position.

Both dismissals reportedly followed the revocation of their US visas by the US State Department, according to the same source.

The Attorney General Office that had received the claims of corruption filed by Morales Herrero has not issued a statement.

Read More:

The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) reports seizing boxes of pineapple for export from Punta Cana to Germany with cocaine. Some 30 packages of cocaine were found stashed inside the fresh pineapple cargo that was destined for Frankfurt international airport.

Read more in Spanish:

• DNCD

The US Department of Justice informs that a massive “grandparent scam” operating out of the Dominican Republic has been dismantled, leading to charges against 13 individuals. The transnational scheme allegedly defrauded more than 400 elderly victims in the United States, including at least 50 in Massachusetts, of over US$5 million.

The scheme, orchestrated by what authorities are calling a sophisticated “call center” operation, targeted seniors with an average age of 84. The perpetrators tricked victims into believing that a grandchild or other close family member was in trouble and desperately needed money.

According to charging documents, the operation was led by Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia. His call centers in the Dominican Republic employed English-speaking co-conspirators who followed scripts to impersonate a grandchild who was in a car...

The big question is why? Why did vandals wreck the year-old religious landmark boulevard in Higuey, the bed city for the Punta Cana area. In an act of brazen destruction that has shocked the nation, vandals armed with sledgehammers and mallets in early morning hours severely damaged the recently inaugurated Vía Sacra, the spiritual and cultural landmark located in the heart of Higüey, adjacent to the iconic Basilica of Our Lady of Altagracia.

The attack took place in the early hours of Monday, 11 August, less than a year after the project was unveiled by President Luis Abinader on 13 August 2024, following a RD$115-million investment by the Dominican government, as reported in Listin Diario.

The Vía Sacra, a 9,300-square-meter sacred corridor comprising fourteen intricately carved stone monoliths representing the Mysteries of the Virgin, was designed to guide pilgrims...

The Chicago White Sox organization broke ground Tuesday, 12 August 2025 to build a new state-of-the-art baseball academy in Boca Chica, in the province of Santo Domingo, an upgrade from their current facility in the same area.

The US$12 million baseball player training center for Dominican and regional players is developed by JN Academy Design, as reported by Noticias SIN. The facility is scheduled for completion in about a year.

Noticias SIN reports that once operational, the academy will serve as a top-tier training ground for hundreds of young players and coaches, while also delivering a substantial economic and employment boost to the surrounding area.

Minister of Sports Kelvin Cruz and the National Baseball Commissioner Junior Noboa were present for the ground-breaking ceremony. White Sox director of player development Paul Janish touched on the importance of the...

JetSmart has announced the launch of two new international routes connecting Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, with the Colombian cities of Medellín and Cali, in time for the Christmas season traffic. The flights would start 5 December 2025.

JetSmart flies direct from Santiago de Chile to Punta Cana. It also lists flights to Colombia from Punta Cana to the cities of Bogota (BOG), Cartagena (CTG), and Santa Marta (SMR) on its booking engine.

With the expansion of Medellín and Cali, the Dominican Republic joins the airline’s growing network across Latin America, which currently spans nine countries. Flights to Medellín will operate on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays, while service to Cali is scheduled for Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

According to a company press release, the flight time between Punta Cana and Medellín is approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes. The route to...

The Dominican Republic will host the prestigious PAMAC Destination Summit in June 2026, in recognition of the extraordinary growth maritime tourism has had recently in the country. The past event was held in Aruba in June 2025.

The PAMAC conference is a popular platform that includes senior executives from the cruise tourism industry, both from cruise lines and other industry partners. Organized by the Florida and Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), this event brings together FCCA Platinum Members and cruise executives for focused discussions, site visits, and strategic meetings to strengthen partnerships and enhance the cruise industry in the Caribbean and related regions. The summit aims to foster alignment, trust, and innovation between cruise line executives and destination stakeholders.

The announcement of the DR hosting the event was made during the signing between FCCA and the Ministry of Tourism of a Presidential Strategic Partnership Agreement, reinforcing the...

The Dominican Republic and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) formalized a Presidential Strategic Partnership Agreement, reinforcing the country’s growing leadership in Caribbean cruise tourism. The agreement was signed in Santo Domingo with the participation of President Luis Abinader, the president of FCCA Adam Ceserano and Tourism Minister David Collado. Adam Ceserano oversees all aspects of FCCA operations, membership benefits, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and event production.

Running through December 2026, the agreement aims to increase cruise passenger arrivals and investment while creating a national strategy to employ Dominican talent in the cruise industry. It also is intended to facilitate private meetings with cruise executives to develop local services, products and sourcing opportunities.

Adam Ceserano, president of FCCA, in the...

Nigerian Afrobeats superstars Ayra Starr, Shallipopi and Ruger are scheduled to perform at the Afro Nation Festival set for Punta Cana, Dominican Republic from 7 to 9 November 2025.

According to the organizers, the Grammy-nominated Nigerian superstar Ayra Starr will be headlining the music fiesta, alongside American rapper, Sexy Redd and South African hitmaking star, DJ Maphorisa.

Afro Nation is a three-day annual music festival founded in 2019 by The Malachite Group to unite the African diaspora through music, dance, food and fashion.

The festival showcases African and international artists across genres such as Afrobeats, Amapiano, RnB, Hip Hop, Dancehall and more.

The annual fiesta, which featured Burna Boy, Wizkid, Chris Brown and Nicki Minaj, held in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Miami and Detroit has evolved into a global platform for African talent...

On occasion of his fifth year in government, President Luis Abinader took advantage of his weekly press presentation to present achievements of his government. A press release from the Presidency also highlighted the achievements. Abinader’s second term ends in August 2028.

“Today, we want to show the most important achievements — how we’ve broken the vicious cycle and replaced it with a virtuous one,” said the President who presented his achievements in health, education, security and the economy.

Health: Longer lives and better accessLife expectancy increased from 73.5 to 75.1 years, while infant mortality dropped from 20.9 to 15.9 per 1,000 live births. Teenage pregnancies declined from 74.4% to 67.9%. Meanwhile, 2.51 million new people were added to the social security system.

Under the National Hearts Strategy, 300,000 patients over age 45 received care...

The Dominican Republic’s exports reached an impressive US$1.37 billion in July 2025, marking a new milestone and signaling sustained growth for the country’s export sector. This record-breaking figure consistently surpasses monthly averages from both 2023 and 2024, demonstrating the robust momentum of the Dominican economy, the Customs Agency reports.

July’s export value not only topped this year’s monthly average of US$1.17 billion, but also significantly outperformed the averages from previous years: US$994.8 million in 2023 and US$1.07 billion in 2024. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Mipymes (MICM) highlighted that a significant portion of this growth was fueled by key sectors like free zones and manufacturing.

“This remarkable increase in total exports is a clear reflection of the hard work and resilience of our producers and exporters,”...

The commander of the US Southern Command, US Navy Admiral Alvin Holsey reports on his visit to the Dominican Republic on 7-8 August 2025 to meet with top defense leaders to reaffirm the longstanding military partnership between both nations.

The trip was Holsey’s first visit to the Dominican Republic since assuming command of Southcom last November.

On 8 August, Holsey met with Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre and other top Dominican Republic military leaders to discuss strengthening the bilateral defense partnership. The leaders also discussed efforts to address shared regional security challenges, including transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking, and border security.

Holsey later visited the Ministry of Defense’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber Security and Intelligence (C5i) Center to see...

The Dominican Republic has begun a pilot for a facial recognition system along its border with Haiti, the general director of the Migration Agency announced, as reported in Biometrics Update.

Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester said the new biometric technology is part of a broader effort to regulate cross-border security and strengthen identification for commerce.

Ballester explained that biometric equipment has been installed and is being tested as part of the pilot program. A representative from the US Customs and Border Protection accompanied Ballester to review the Directorate’s technological rollout and to discuss cooperation.

“In a few days we will be working on a resolution that the Migration Agency will issue, establishing the biometric procedures and regulations that foreigners participating in binational markets must comply with,” Ballester...

The newly crowned Miss Dominican Republic, Jennifer Ventura, is set to represent her country on the global stage at the Miss Universe pageant in Thailand this coming November 2025, but her victory is tinged with sorrow. The pageant queen’s mother, architect Joselín Marte, was one of the victims of the tragic roof collapse at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo on 8 April 2025. The number of victims in the tragedy is more than 267.

Ventura, who represented the province of Barahona, dedicated her win to her mother’s memory. Marte’s body was recovered from the rubble of the popular entertainment venue on 9 April, the day after the tragic incident that claimed several lives and left numerous others injured. Joselín Marte, originally from Barahona, was married to engineer Bolívar Ventura, a well-known professional in the province.

Jennifer Ventura was crowned Miss Dominican Republic...

Melba Segura de Grullón and Alexandra Grullón / Diario Libre

There are new rays of light for the children that have been victims of the Jet Set tragedy. The governmental Conani and the Alexandra Grullon Foundation have announced initiatives for the orphaned children of the collapse of the roof capital city nightclub. The management of the club is accused of negligence in taking corrective measures in time or canceling the fatal concert on the evening of 8 April 2025.

Now, four months after the devastating tragedy at the Jet Set nightclub, the National Council for Children announces a special summer camp has been arranged for the 54 children and adolescents who lost their parents in the fire. The week-long camp has been designed to offer the children solace and new skills. The camp will be held in Don Honorio, National District.

In addition to entertainment and...

A community group has dedicated hours to impede a senator pushing through Congress a bill that would have allowed louder noise in neighborhoods.

The community group called Vecinos Contra el Ruido (Neighbors Against Noise) is now celebrating a first victory in its fight against a proposed bill that would increase acceptable noise levels in the country. The group’s director, Rossé Bonifacio, announced that Senator Aracelis Villanueva (PRM-San Pedro de Macoris), who sponsored the bill, has decided to withdraw the bill.

The group was concerned that the proposed change to Law 90-19 would raise the permitted decibel levels, which are already aligned with World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Bonifacio argued that the change would decriminalize noise violations and force the public to tolerate higher noise levels, rather than holding those who create noise pollution...

Colonel Rafael Antonio Morales Herrero / El Nacional

A high-ranking Dominican Air Force colonel has filed a formal complaint with the Public Ministry, accusing top officials within the country’s main anti-drug and intelligence agencies of illicitly enriching themselves with drug trafficking money, as reported in El Nacional and other local media.

Colonel Rafael Antonio Morales Herrero, the former director of the Joint Information and Coordination Center of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), claims that officials from both the DNCD and the National Intelligence Agency (DNI) are part of a widespread corruption network.

In his complaint, Morales Herrero stated he notified not only the Public Ministry but also President Luis Abinader, who serves as the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. The colonel asserts that this high-level conspiracy...

Source: NOAA

Tropical Storm Erin is making its way through the Atlantic Ocean. Erin is traveling westward, and while it’s too early to say whether there will be any direct impact to the Caribbean, the storm should be monitored closely.

So far, all forecasts show the storm going north of the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean is expected to be spared by the budding Tropical Storm Erin as it grows into a forecasted major hurricane category and swerves north in Atlantic Ocean waters in direction of Bermuda.

All spaghetti models have the storm turning north just before reaching the Greater Antilles.

But as is the reality with hurricanes, and as peak hurricane time for the Caribbean is now, everyone should be prepared for hurricanes, as these are known to change path with little notice.

Follow the story...

17-year old Hezly Rivera, the daughter of two Dominican migrants to New Jersey, engineers Heidy Ruiz and Henry Rivera, has won the most important USA Gymnastics title, the senior all-around in the Xfinity US Championships title. She came out on top in senior all-around competition and added three apparatus titles to her resume during the 2025 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships in New Orleans.

She was born in 2008 and raised in Hackensack, New Jersey. She now lives and trains in Texas. In the Paris Olympic Games, she was part of the team category that won gold.

According to USA Gymnastics, Rivera, who trains at WOGA Gymnastics in Plano, Texas led the senior all-around field across both days of competition, posting a combined 112.000. She claimed gold on balance beam (28.350), floor exercise (28.200) and shared the uneven bars title (27.600) with Frisco’s Skye Blakely, now a...

New cars and more opening hours now ensure those riding the Santo Domingo metro can get to their stops much faster and with less crowding. President Luis Abinader made the announcement when on Sunday, 10 August 2025 he attended the official announcement of the start of operation of six-car trains and the inauguration of a pedestrian interconnection corridor for the Santo Domingo Metro.

The new additions are part of a project to expand the capacity of Line 1. Four six-car trains are now in service, increasing the metro’s capacity to 17,000 users per hour, with a projection to reach 22,000 by December. This expansion aims to resolve the saturation of trains and stations during peak hours, reducing wait times and improving the daily experience for the more than 380,000 people who use the metro each day.

The Santo Domingo Metro is the most used mode of transportation for its...

Haydée Kuret de Rainieri, Frank Rainieri, Minister Roberto Alvarez and Vice Minister Ruben Silié / Diario Libre

The Dominican Republic is hosting the 10th Summit of the Americas from 1 to 5 December 2025 in Punta Cana. And Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez says he does not know which Presidents will come but people can expect some of the most high profile business people will be here from all around the Americas to talk business.

The theme of the summit will be “Building a safe, secure, and sustainable hemisphere with shared prosperity.”

Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez, who heads the local organizing commission, explained that the 10th Summit, as previous summits, is really four summits in one. These are the Presidents and Ministers of Foreign Relations (high level regional politics) summit, the...

Source: El Día

After decades of free trade, the DR pays tariffs to export to US. Dominican exports are now levied at least a 10% import tariff, slapped on by the Trump administration. Previously, Dominican exports were duty free, as per the DR-CAFTA agreement. The DR is paying the 10% minimum tariff exporters are now required to pay to enter cargo to the USA.

The new tariffs have escalated current trade tensions and represent the most substantial shift in the global economy in nearly a century. As reported, the tariffs have pushed the effective US tariff rate above 17%, the highest tax Americans have paid on foreign goods since the Great Depression.

The Abinader administrations say that talks continue with the US Trade Representative Office. The DR was one of the first countries to appeal the tax.

Read more in...

President Luis Abinader chaired a meeting of the oversight commission on the start of the new school year. One of the more remarkable notes that was brought up was the fact that over 120,000 teachers have been receiving training in what is called the STEAM curriculum. This is basically what is called the STEM curriculum with the addition of Arts to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Minister of Education Luis Miguel De Camps noted that preparation for this year’s start of the school year has been focusing on four main areas: infrastructure and capacity, teachers and administrators, student welfare, and the supply of educational materials. The year will start with over 1,200 new classrooms, and 302 mobile teaching units.

The 120,000 teachers are being instructed by 8,000 technicians and academic professionals...

The building in northern Santo Domingo that was destroyed by a fire at Merca Santo Domingo on 8 June 2025 will be demolished, according to a statement from the market’s administration. Yet, there is no timeline for the needed works. The fire left an estimated 110 merchants without their usual livelihood and affected 56 storefronts, resulting in nearly RD$800 million in economic losses.

Marcos Santana, head of communications for Merca Santo Domingo, confirmed that the demolition is a necessary step to clear the way for a new building where the displaced vendors will be relocated.

“The affected building is being evaluated for demolition because it cannot withstand any kind of repair,” Santana explained. “From an engineering standpoint, it must be torn down to make way for the construction of a new building that will be designed with the lessons learned from this past...

Over the weekend, the Ministry of Public Works announced the shutdown of the “floating” bridge that crosses the Ozama River to the south of Duarte Bridge. The poontoon bridge will remain closed until Wednesday, 13 August 2025.

The ministry said that the bridge was scheduled for ordinary maintenance. The maintenance is being carried out by the Dominican Naval Industry that has a long history of dealing with maritime structures.

Due to the importance of the bridge, the National Institute of Ground Transportation (Intrant), together with the General Traffic Safety Agency (Digesett), and the city government of East Santo Domingo are notifying people of the alternate routes for crossing the river. When going from east to west, drivers are urged to use the Ramon Matias Mella bridge, also called the Bicycle Bridge, or commuters can use the Juan Bosch Bridge crossing. There will be an...

Miss Barahona Jennifer Ventura is the new Miss Dominican Republic. She was crowned by Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjaer of Denmark in the televised show aired on Sunday, 10 August 2025 on Channel 9 from the National Theater.

Ventura will now represent the Dominican Republic in the Miss Universe pageant to take place in Thailand on 21 November 2025. The Dominican Republic will have two contestants in that pageant, because new rules allowed for the election of the Miss Universe Latina as a participant. Miss Universe Latina reality show was won by Miss Dominican Republic (La Vega province), Yamilex Hernandez.

In the Miss Dominican Republic contest on Sunday, 10 August, Miss Punta Cana, Jearmanda Ramos was chosen the first runner up and Miss Peravia, Criselys García the third runner up.

The Dominican Republic has won only one Miss Universe contest...

City Center by Lady Lee is set to become a landmark development in the Dominican Republic and seeks to claim the title of the largest mall in the Dominican Republic. The ambitious project is a venture planned by the Central American investors part of the Corporación Lady Lee. Corporación Lady Lee began in San Pedro Sula, the second largest city in Honduras.

Construction is planned to start at the end of this year in Santo Domingo Este, the most populous municipality of Greater Santo Domingo, that also includes the National District, the country’s capital city. East Santo Domingo has a population estimated at more than a million inhabitants and is located east of Ozama River.

The foreign investors have noted the concentration of shopping malls in the National District. Right now, Megacentro is the leading shopping mall in East Santo Domingo, and may even be the...

Santo Domingo residents in recent years have been once again rediscovering the Malecon as the Abinader government and National District city hall invest heavily in its renovation with a focus on recreation and sports. Tourists alike see the sea-bordering Malecon as the leading attraction of the city of Santo Domingo. But judges of the leading high court think differently, or at least to tell from a recent ruling.

The First Hall of the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) with judges Luisa N. del Carmen Canaan Polanco, William Encarnacion Mejia and Willys de Js. Nuñez Mejía reinstated the validity of a minor municipal court that they understand had the authority to overturned three resolutions of the city hall of Santo Domingo that banned the construction of quick-sex motels on the Malecon. The resolutions were issued since 1990 and had created a limited tolerance sector only...

On Sunday, 10 August 2025, the Reinas del Caribe took their seventh title in the history of the Senior Women’s Pan American Volleyball Cup. The DR senior women’s team defeated Colombia 3-0 (25-21, 29-27, 25-22) at the Multifunctional Auditorium of the Morelos Sports Complex in Colima, Mexico.

It was the twentieth medal overall for the Dominican women’s team that has also collected ten silver medals and three bronze in the regional cup. Colombia earned its second silver medal, adding to its two bronze medals.

On Sunday, the Dominicans led the attack 47-40, Colombia was superior in blocks 14-13, while the two teams tied in serves at one.

Gaila González led the champions with 20 points, followed by sisters Brayelin and Jineiry Martínez with 16 and 14 points, respectively.

For Colombia, Laura Grajales and Ana Karina Olaya each scored 18 points, followed by Karen Rentería...