DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

A 13-year old is said to be the gang leader in Villa Faro, a densely populated low-income in eastern Santo Domingo. Community leaders raised their concerns and investigative journalist Nuria Piera aired a report in her Saturday, 25 October 2025 edition on Channel 9. The community leaders point to state neglect and a lack of educational, sports and cultural activities as the main drivers of this social crisis.

The case of Angel, nicknamed “El Diablón” (The Big Devil), a 13-year-old boy alleged to be the leader of the youth gang Bloque Z (Block Z), has gone viral on social media due to images showing him armed alongside other adolescents.

His desperate mother, Sheily, stated on the investigative program Nuria Piera Investigación that she has handed him over to authorities multiple times, but he has been released due to his status as a minor. He was recently detained with...