Visa free travel with Russia
Commemoration of anniversary of the assassination of Mirabal sisters
Public debt is at record high in 18 years
Monday transport stoppage was warm-up for Tuesday strike
Where's my share of the sale of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce building
Violence at the border with Haiti
Body found in Colonial City
Men caught stealing from an ATM
10th Festival of International Theater opens 6 December
Visa free travel with Russia
on Monday, 26 November 2018, the foreign ministers of Russia and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement for visa-free travel between both countries. The agreement was signed by Sergey Lavrov for Russia and Miguel Vargas Maldonado of the Dominican Republic at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Moscow, Russia, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass, and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic.
Upon the signing, Foreign Minister Lavroy commented that the Dominican Republic was Russia’s promising partner in Latin America and the Caribbean Basin and that they had agreed to work to extend and deepen ties between the two countries. As reported, Lavroy said that the Dominican Republic is among the most attractive recreation areas for Russian citizens. 230,000 Russians visited the country last year, up 75% compared to 2016.
Vargas said the abolishment of the visa requirement will encourage more Dominican citizens to visit Russia and will contribute to the growth of the flow of Russian tourists.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic reported that the agreement allows those holding ordinary passports to enter, leave, transit and remain in either state without a visa for up to 60 days, every 180 days from the time of the first entry.
During the signing of the visa free travel agreement, the ministers also signed a Memorandum of Intent for Consulting in International Multilateral Forums. The Dominican Republic is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It had recently signed a similar consulting agreement with the People’s Republic of China.
http://www.mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias/rd-y-rusia-acuerdan-suprimir-visado
http://tass.com/economy/1032647
Commemoration of anniversary of the assassination of Mirabal sisters
On Sunday, 25 November 2018, various events were held to commemorate the killings, 58 years ago, of the Mirabal sisters and their driver, Rufino de la Cruz. History tells that the sisters and their driver were murdered on the orders of the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina on 25 November 1960. It is believed that the assassination of the Mirabal sisters contributed to the rise of popular sentiment for the ouster of beginning of Trujillo’s dictatorship.
Among the commemorative activities was a mass at the San Juan Evangelista church, presided over by the Bishop of the diocese of San Francisco de Macorís, Monsignor Jesús María de Jesús Moya. There was also an activity at Hermanas Mirabal Museum in Hermanas Mirabal province, where several institutions laid wreaths at the mausoleum of Patria, Minerva, María Teresa and Manolo Tavárez Justo. Present at the museum were the ambassadors of The Netherlands, Annemieke Verrijp, and of Canada, Shauna Hemingway.
The United Nations celebrates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in commemoration of the brave Mirabal sisters.
http://hoy.com.do/ciudadanos-conmemoran-el-asesinato-de-hermanas-mirabal/
Public debt is at record high in 18 years
The public debt in the Dominican Republic is 51.6% of the Gross Domestic Product, according to official records, as a headline story reports in Diario Libre. The non-financial public debt and the Central Bank debt are calculated to be US$40.64 billion, which does not include the US$3.85 billion in additional debt accumulated so far this year. Foreign creditors represent 27.5% of the GDP, or US$21.65 billion. Domestic debt is at 24.1% of the GDP, or US$18.99 billion.
The non-financial public debt is at US$31.45 billion as of 31 October 2018, which accounts for 39.9% of GDP.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...canzo-su-nivel-mas-alto-en-18-anos-CM11481102
Monday transport stoppage was warm-up for Tuesday strike
Hundreds of people were left stranded for four hours on Monday, 26 November 2017, when the National Transport Federation (Fenatrano), a large bus affiliates company, carried out an unannounced “warm up drill” for their announced Tuesday, 27 November 2018 national strike.
At Kilometer 9 of the Juan Pablo Duarte Highway, the public shared taxis and buses belonging to the union were parked at the side of the road. The same occurred in Santo Domingo East on the Mendoza highway at Kilometer Nine towards Sabana Perdida and Villa Mella. One driver said that they were called and told to stop work.
As a consequence the Metro was overcrowded and there were long lines of passengers.
Fenatrano leader has dismissed the decline in fuel prices over the past 15 weeks. He said with the barrel of fuel costing US$54, the gallon of gasoline should be no more than RD$70, propane no more than RD$37 and diesel around RD$80 per gallon.
Fenatrano confirmed that grounds for the strike are still valid and thus the transport work stoppage will occur as scheduled on Tuesday, 27 November.
Meanwhile, Marcha Verde, the anti-impunity national movement, announced it is backing the peaceful strike on Tuesday to protest the continued increase in the prices of propane. Marcha Verde says Dominicans pay the highest prices in Central America for the cooking fuel. Marcha Verde says there is a business-political deal behind the high prices of propane and has called for an investigation into the financial dealings of former minister of Industry & Commerce, Jose del Castillo Saviñon, whose declared wealth went from RD$160 million in 2012 to RD$377 million in 2018.
The state university UASD announced it was suspending administrative and academic activities for Tuesday, 27 November 2018.
http://hoy.com.do/marcha-verde-reitera-su-apoyo-al-paro-general-convocado-para-este-martes/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...on-paralizacion-hoy-del-transporte-HN11490632
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...ia-en-apoyo-al-paro-de-este-martes-FN11496232
Where's my share of the sale of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce building?
El Nacional highlighted a legal case submitted by Carlos Gomez that asserts he did not receive sufficient compensation from the US$33 million sale of an office building on Av. 27 de Febrero to the Ministry of Industry & Commerce.
El Nacional reports that Gomez filed the legal complaint in which he claims that former minister of Public Works, Freddy Perez, told his partner in the construction of the building and the sales deal that there were no profits in the transaction due to a US$3 million payment to an unnamed government officer. The payment, Gomez alleges was essentially a bribe that allowed the deal to go through.
Meanwhile, press spokesman for the Ministry of Industry & Commerce says the Ministry officials are in the clear because the transaction was done directly with the state-owned Banco de Reservas. The case is now in the hands of National District prosecutor Rosalba Ramos.
Gómez’s lawyer Julio Santamaría says they are demanding the case advance in the judiciary because it was filed several months ago.
https://elnacional.com.do/involucran-funcionario-en-comision-de-us3-millones-en-compra-de-edificio/
Violence at the border with Haiti
According to authorities, six people were killed on Saturday, 24 November, at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic following a heated argument. Haitian police inspector, Harry Deny, said that four customs officers and two civilians died in the town of Malpasse. He explained the incident began when a customs officer shot a person who tried to cross the border from the Dominican Republic with merchandise without stopping. A group of people then retaliated against the officers and burned them to death as they tried to take refuge inside a police station.
Then the Dominican authorities had to give protection to a group of eight Haitian police officers who were fleeing from the mob after the killings and crossed the border at Jimani to safety. They were handed over to the Haitian consul in Barahona, Jean Alex Luphoil. The killings came as Haiti faced a seventh day of protests that have shuttered schools and government offices.
Demonstrators are demanding that President Jovenel Moise resign for not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous government over Petrocaribe, a Venezuelan-subsidized energy program.
At least 11 people have died during protests that have spiraled out of control.
As reported, at the border in Malpasse there is currently a tense calm with no transport crossing in either direction and almost all of the businesses are closed. In addition Caribe Tours buses are not running to Haiti.
https://citizentv.co.ke/news/6-killed-following-argument-at-haitian-dominican-border-220723/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...es-protegieron-de-turbas-a-policias-haitianos
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-...or-calls-for-calm-and-announces-measures.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/killed-following-argument-at-haitian-dominican-border/4672817.html
Body found in Colonial City
The National Police have revealed the identity of a body found in the ruins of the San Francisco Monastery on Sunday morning, 25 November 2018, in the Colonial City.
The victim has been identified as Héctor Lorenzo García, aged 42, who had a police record for stealing a motorcycle back in 2014. He died as a result of blows to the skull and face.
His body was discovered in one of the passages of the ruins at 6:40 am, together with a black back pack and a piece of concrete.
Six men have been arrested including the security guard of the ruins and the body was taken to the National Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-al-hombre-hallado-muerto-en-la-zona-colonial
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/11/26/543260/hallan-dos-cadaveres-en-menos-de-24-horas
Men caught stealing from an ATM
The Public Prosecution Office in Santo Domingo West is prosecuting two men who were arrested in flagrante delicto of withdrawing fraudulently RD$475,500 from an ATM in a supermarket in the Municipal District of Pantoja, in Los Alcarrizos.
The two men arrested last Friday, 23 November, were Kendry Mio Beltré Núñez and Richard Alexander Muñoz Martínez, and the prosecution will be asking for coercive measures in preventive custody at the hearing fixed for Friday 30 November 2018.
Via a press release, the Prosecution Office said that when arrested, the two men had the money on them as well as two cell phones and a wireless keypad. The arrest followed information received from the bank, BHD Leon.
http://hoy.com.do/capturan-dos-hombre-robando-mas-de-400-mil-pesos-de-un-cajero-automatico/
10th Festival of International Theater opens 6 December
The Ministry of Culture is organizing the 10th Festival International de Teatro in Santo Domingo from 6 to 16 December 2018. Theater groups from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic will be participating. This year it is dedicated to Haffe Serulle. Tickets are RD$100 for events at the National Theater and Palacio de Bellas Artes. See the program of plays and workshops at the Festival Internacional de Teatro Santo Domingo Facebook page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qci...3LGoHTlJGc5ysosuRXIom322HTuToLmsy_jNziw4qqxnI
Commemoration of anniversary of the assassination of Mirabal sisters
Public debt is at record high in 18 years
Monday transport stoppage was warm-up for Tuesday strike
Where's my share of the sale of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce building
Violence at the border with Haiti
Body found in Colonial City
Men caught stealing from an ATM
10th Festival of International Theater opens 6 December
Visa free travel with Russia
on Monday, 26 November 2018, the foreign ministers of Russia and the Dominican Republic signed an agreement for visa-free travel between both countries. The agreement was signed by Sergey Lavrov for Russia and Miguel Vargas Maldonado of the Dominican Republic at the Ministry of Foreign Relations in Moscow, Russia, as reported by the Russian news agency Tass, and the Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic.
Upon the signing, Foreign Minister Lavroy commented that the Dominican Republic was Russia’s promising partner in Latin America and the Caribbean Basin and that they had agreed to work to extend and deepen ties between the two countries. As reported, Lavroy said that the Dominican Republic is among the most attractive recreation areas for Russian citizens. 230,000 Russians visited the country last year, up 75% compared to 2016.
Vargas said the abolishment of the visa requirement will encourage more Dominican citizens to visit Russia and will contribute to the growth of the flow of Russian tourists.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations of the Dominican Republic reported that the agreement allows those holding ordinary passports to enter, leave, transit and remain in either state without a visa for up to 60 days, every 180 days from the time of the first entry.
During the signing of the visa free travel agreement, the ministers also signed a Memorandum of Intent for Consulting in International Multilateral Forums. The Dominican Republic is a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It had recently signed a similar consulting agreement with the People’s Republic of China.
http://www.mirex.gob.do/medios/noticias/rd-y-rusia-acuerdan-suprimir-visado
http://tass.com/economy/1032647
Commemoration of anniversary of the assassination of Mirabal sisters
On Sunday, 25 November 2018, various events were held to commemorate the killings, 58 years ago, of the Mirabal sisters and their driver, Rufino de la Cruz. History tells that the sisters and their driver were murdered on the orders of the dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina on 25 November 1960. It is believed that the assassination of the Mirabal sisters contributed to the rise of popular sentiment for the ouster of beginning of Trujillo’s dictatorship.
Among the commemorative activities was a mass at the San Juan Evangelista church, presided over by the Bishop of the diocese of San Francisco de Macorís, Monsignor Jesús María de Jesús Moya. There was also an activity at Hermanas Mirabal Museum in Hermanas Mirabal province, where several institutions laid wreaths at the mausoleum of Patria, Minerva, María Teresa and Manolo Tavárez Justo. Present at the museum were the ambassadors of The Netherlands, Annemieke Verrijp, and of Canada, Shauna Hemingway.
The United Nations celebrates the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in commemoration of the brave Mirabal sisters.
http://hoy.com.do/ciudadanos-conmemoran-el-asesinato-de-hermanas-mirabal/
Public debt is at record high in 18 years
The public debt in the Dominican Republic is 51.6% of the Gross Domestic Product, according to official records, as a headline story reports in Diario Libre. The non-financial public debt and the Central Bank debt are calculated to be US$40.64 billion, which does not include the US$3.85 billion in additional debt accumulated so far this year. Foreign creditors represent 27.5% of the GDP, or US$21.65 billion. Domestic debt is at 24.1% of the GDP, or US$18.99 billion.
The non-financial public debt is at US$31.45 billion as of 31 October 2018, which accounts for 39.9% of GDP.
https://www.diariolibre.com/economi...canzo-su-nivel-mas-alto-en-18-anos-CM11481102
Monday transport stoppage was warm-up for Tuesday strike
Hundreds of people were left stranded for four hours on Monday, 26 November 2017, when the National Transport Federation (Fenatrano), a large bus affiliates company, carried out an unannounced “warm up drill” for their announced Tuesday, 27 November 2018 national strike.
At Kilometer 9 of the Juan Pablo Duarte Highway, the public shared taxis and buses belonging to the union were parked at the side of the road. The same occurred in Santo Domingo East on the Mendoza highway at Kilometer Nine towards Sabana Perdida and Villa Mella. One driver said that they were called and told to stop work.
As a consequence the Metro was overcrowded and there were long lines of passengers.
Fenatrano leader has dismissed the decline in fuel prices over the past 15 weeks. He said with the barrel of fuel costing US$54, the gallon of gasoline should be no more than RD$70, propane no more than RD$37 and diesel around RD$80 per gallon.
Fenatrano confirmed that grounds for the strike are still valid and thus the transport work stoppage will occur as scheduled on Tuesday, 27 November.
Meanwhile, Marcha Verde, the anti-impunity national movement, announced it is backing the peaceful strike on Tuesday to protest the continued increase in the prices of propane. Marcha Verde says Dominicans pay the highest prices in Central America for the cooking fuel. Marcha Verde says there is a business-political deal behind the high prices of propane and has called for an investigation into the financial dealings of former minister of Industry & Commerce, Jose del Castillo Saviñon, whose declared wealth went from RD$160 million in 2012 to RD$377 million in 2018.
The state university UASD announced it was suspending administrative and academic activities for Tuesday, 27 November 2018.
http://hoy.com.do/marcha-verde-reitera-su-apoyo-al-paro-general-convocado-para-este-martes/
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...on-paralizacion-hoy-del-transporte-HN11490632
https://www.diariolibre.com/actuali...ia-en-apoyo-al-paro-de-este-martes-FN11496232
Where's my share of the sale of the Ministry of Industry & Commerce building?
El Nacional highlighted a legal case submitted by Carlos Gomez that asserts he did not receive sufficient compensation from the US$33 million sale of an office building on Av. 27 de Febrero to the Ministry of Industry & Commerce.
El Nacional reports that Gomez filed the legal complaint in which he claims that former minister of Public Works, Freddy Perez, told his partner in the construction of the building and the sales deal that there were no profits in the transaction due to a US$3 million payment to an unnamed government officer. The payment, Gomez alleges was essentially a bribe that allowed the deal to go through.
Meanwhile, press spokesman for the Ministry of Industry & Commerce says the Ministry officials are in the clear because the transaction was done directly with the state-owned Banco de Reservas. The case is now in the hands of National District prosecutor Rosalba Ramos.
Gómez’s lawyer Julio Santamaría says they are demanding the case advance in the judiciary because it was filed several months ago.
https://elnacional.com.do/involucran-funcionario-en-comision-de-us3-millones-en-compra-de-edificio/
Violence at the border with Haiti
According to authorities, six people were killed on Saturday, 24 November, at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic following a heated argument. Haitian police inspector, Harry Deny, said that four customs officers and two civilians died in the town of Malpasse. He explained the incident began when a customs officer shot a person who tried to cross the border from the Dominican Republic with merchandise without stopping. A group of people then retaliated against the officers and burned them to death as they tried to take refuge inside a police station.
Then the Dominican authorities had to give protection to a group of eight Haitian police officers who were fleeing from the mob after the killings and crossed the border at Jimani to safety. They were handed over to the Haitian consul in Barahona, Jean Alex Luphoil. The killings came as Haiti faced a seventh day of protests that have shuttered schools and government offices.
Demonstrators are demanding that President Jovenel Moise resign for not investigating allegations of corruption in the previous government over Petrocaribe, a Venezuelan-subsidized energy program.
At least 11 people have died during protests that have spiraled out of control.
As reported, at the border in Malpasse there is currently a tense calm with no transport crossing in either direction and almost all of the businesses are closed. In addition Caribe Tours buses are not running to Haiti.
https://citizentv.co.ke/news/6-killed-following-argument-at-haitian-dominican-border-220723/
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...es-protegieron-de-turbas-a-policias-haitianos
https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-...or-calls-for-calm-and-announces-measures.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/killed-following-argument-at-haitian-dominican-border/4672817.html
Body found in Colonial City
The National Police have revealed the identity of a body found in the ruins of the San Francisco Monastery on Sunday morning, 25 November 2018, in the Colonial City.
The victim has been identified as Héctor Lorenzo García, aged 42, who had a police record for stealing a motorcycle back in 2014. He died as a result of blows to the skull and face.
His body was discovered in one of the passages of the ruins at 6:40 am, together with a black back pack and a piece of concrete.
Six men have been arrested including the security guard of the ruins and the body was taken to the National Institute of Forensic Science for an autopsy.
https://listindiario.com/la-republi...-al-hombre-hallado-muerto-en-la-zona-colonial
https://listindiario.com/la-republica/2018/11/26/543260/hallan-dos-cadaveres-en-menos-de-24-horas
Men caught stealing from an ATM
The Public Prosecution Office in Santo Domingo West is prosecuting two men who were arrested in flagrante delicto of withdrawing fraudulently RD$475,500 from an ATM in a supermarket in the Municipal District of Pantoja, in Los Alcarrizos.
The two men arrested last Friday, 23 November, were Kendry Mio Beltré Núñez and Richard Alexander Muñoz Martínez, and the prosecution will be asking for coercive measures in preventive custody at the hearing fixed for Friday 30 November 2018.
Via a press release, the Prosecution Office said that when arrested, the two men had the money on them as well as two cell phones and a wireless keypad. The arrest followed information received from the bank, BHD Leon.
http://hoy.com.do/capturan-dos-hombre-robando-mas-de-400-mil-pesos-de-un-cajero-automatico/
10th Festival of International Theater opens 6 December
The Ministry of Culture is organizing the 10th Festival International de Teatro in Santo Domingo from 6 to 16 December 2018. Theater groups from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic will be participating. This year it is dedicated to Haffe Serulle. Tickets are RD$100 for events at the National Theater and Palacio de Bellas Artes. See the program of plays and workshops at the Festival Internacional de Teatro Santo Domingo Facebook page.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qci...3LGoHTlJGc5ysosuRXIom322HTuToLmsy_jNziw4qqxnI