DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez called for an end to arms supplies to Haiti and protested the intent to include known criminals in the Haiti transition government. “The present measures are not enough,” he said, when speaking at the UN Security Council meeting on 22 January 2025 at the UN headquarters in New York City.

Roberto Alvarez stated: “The time has come for this organization to take on a more effective and direct role in the pacification of Haiti, supporting the authorities of that country.”

Alvarez corroborated statements by the UN Special Representative for Haiti Maria Isabel Salvador who gave an overview of the challenges faced by the Haitian National Police (HNP) that she says remain immense. Salvador said enhanced international assistance is critical. She said the security situation has worsened at a time when...

The Ministry of Economy has released its latest “Border Monitor” report for December 2024, revealing a mixed bag of results for tax collection in the border region. The report is evidence of the impact of the multidimensional crisis in Haiti has in the Dominican Republic.

While the border zone saw an increase of 680 new taxpayers in 2023, bringing the total to 8,559, the overall number of taxpayers declined by 0.9% compared to 2022. This represents a mere 2.1% of the national total, underscoring the region’s limited contribution to the country’s tax base.

The monthly report, compiled by the Border Zone Development Policies Agency, indicates that the border area also lags behind in formal employment, with only 1.07% of formal jobs as captured by the Tax Agency (DGII). Three of the five provinces with the fewest salaried workers nationwide—Elías Piña, Independencia...

The Dominican Republic has significantly expanded its ambulance fleet with the recent acquisition of 200 new vehicles and a donation of 120 from the Chinese government. This move represents a 25% renovation of the country’s ambulance fleet, aiming to enhance emergency medical services nationwide.

The donated and purchased ambulances will be integrated into the National Emergency System (911) and the Extrahospital Emergency Services Agency (DAEH) to expand coverage and improve response times.

Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, and DAEH Director, Retired Major General Juan Manuel Méndez García, received the 120 ambulances from the Chinese government, bringing the total number of ambulances to 667. This substantial increase in emergency medical vehicles is expected to significantly improve the quality and accessibility...

The government power utility head in the Dominican Republic, Celso Marranzini is encouraging businesses irregularly connected to the government power grid to go legit. The deal offered to them is a grace period when these can regularize their connections without facing penalties, and be relieved of having to pay the customary bond fee and the initial electricity bill.

The Unified Council of Electricity Distribution Companies (CUED) president, Celso Marranzini, announced a six-month amnesty for businesses illegally connected to the electrical grid.

Speaking at the weekly Corripio Media Group luncheon, Marranzini explained that the initiative aims to curtail significant economic losses attributed to illegal connections, which are estimated at RD$800 million a year, El Dia reports. Corripio owns several media, including the Listin Diario, Hoy and El Dia newspapers.

“Over the next...

Motorcyclists are said to be involved in 80% of traffic accidents in the Dominican Republic. The National Institute of Transit and Land Transport (Intrant) on 22 January 2025 kicked off a series of workshops yesterday aimed at establishing a standardized approach to helmet safety and reducing the high number of traffic fatalities.

The initiative is part of the National Road Safety Plan 2025-2030 and is designed to address the alarming rate of road accidents in the country.

The opening ceremony was attended by key figures in the transportation and safety sectors, including Andiel Galván Abreu, director of Road Safety at Intrant; Aggie Krasnolucka, director of Programs at the FIA Foundation; Álvaro Oliver, president of the Dominican Automobile Club; and Miguelina Méndez, coordinator of the Mapfre Foundation. Mapfre is a major local insurance company that backs the...

Opposition leaders Rafael Castillo of the Fuerza del Pueblo (FP) and Juan Ariel Jiménez of the Partido de la Liberación Dominicana (PLD) are urging President Luis Abinader to implement significant changes within his administration, suggesting that a reshuffling of key officials could benefit the country, N Digital reports.

Castillo, who serves as spokesperson for the FP’s block of deputies, is advocating for a complete overhaul of the government, starting with the removal of two key ministers: Agriculture Minister Limber Cruz, and Public Works Minister Deligne Ascención.

Jiménez was Minister of Economy during the last administration of former President Danio Medina. Jimenez suggests that the government should focus on identifying profiles for top officials, emphasizing the importance of selecting individuals with the right skills to address national...

The Ministry of Environment has said the government has a policy of zero tolerance for aggregate extraction from river basins. The hope would be that efforts advance to make this statement a reality.

In December, Nuria Piera had presented evidence in a recent investigative TV program that the Ministry of Environment has to do much more. The aggregate mafias continue to be a major threat to water safety in the country, impacting people’s lives and future generations.

Nuria Investigacion presented evidence of the practice of extracting aggregate from the Nizao River that passes through the provinces of La Vega, Peravia, San Cristobal and San Jose de Ocoa. The Nizao River basin is located mostly in the southwest of the country and has an area of more than 1,000 km².

Nuria Piera shared the apparent modus operandi of the mafias that accumulate aggregate during the day...

The Dominican Association of Banks (ABA) says that Dominicans are increasingly relying on bank cards for their daily purchases. A recent analysis by the Association of Multiple Banks of the Dominican Republic (ABA) highlights that in 2024, nearly 88% of all card transactions were made at service establishments, supermarkets, and retail stores.

The data, derived from the Central Bank’s Payment System, revealed a surge in card usage. Over 477.5 million transactions were carried out using 11 million cards issued by various banks.

As of the end of 2024, 11,066,312 cards were in circulation, representing 86% of the total in the Dominican financial system. These cards included debit cards (59.9%), credit cards (32.1%), government subsidy cards (7.6%) and prepaid cards (0.4%).

The total value of these transactions reached a staggering RD$1.19 trillion, highlighting the significant...

Barrick has secured all the permits for the construction of the second tailings dam to extend the life of the Pueblo Viejo gold mining operation in the northcentral province of Sanchez Ramirez. To build the tailings dam, communities need to be relocated. Community leaders say they are not getting a good deal from the company to relocate. There are reports of people seeking to take advantage of the conflict and the relocation deal.

Read more in Spanish:

• Listin Diario

In a game that ended 6-0 at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal Ball Park in Santo Domingo, the Leones del Escogido took the leadership of the 2024-25 Dominican Professional Winter Championship. The Escogido has won two of the three games played. The seven-game series continues this weekend.

Lidom reported that Junior Caminero drove in three runs and Johnny Cueto tossed a complete-game shutout for the Leones del Escogido. Cueto (1-0) allowed four hits and struck out three in six innings, facing 22 batters. Alexander Colomé, Jeurys Familia, and Jesús Liranzo joined Cueto in the five-hit shutout.

Tigers starter Radhamés Liz (0-1) had a shaky outing and took the loss. He was pulled after five innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs, while striking out five.

The Dominican League (Lidom) final series will be on hiatus on Thursday and will resume on Friday with the fourth game, with...

President Luis Abinader joined thousands of Dominicans who made the pilgrimage to Higuey, in eastern La Altagracia province to celebrate the religious protector of the Dominican people. President Abinader participated in the mass at the Basilica de Higuey accompanied by First Lady Raquel Arbaje and Vice President Raquel Peña.

The President was joined by former President Hipólito Mejía; Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre; Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful; Provincial Governor Martina Pepén; Senator Rafael Barón Duluc Rijo (Cholitín); National Police Director, Major General Ramón Antonio Guzmán Peralta; and Higüey Mayor Karina Aristy.

Also present were the commanding officers of the military branches: Major General Jorge Iván Camino Pérez (Army), Vice Admiral Agustín Morillo Rodríguez (Navy), and Major General Floreal...

Officials of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) are visiting political parties to socialize the proposals for the new Mobile ID that will be issued this 2025-26 to replace the current identification and voting cards (cedulas). The procurement process is still in the pre-bidding phase but the plan is to offer a digital ID card and advanced identification system at the level of countries such as Estonia and Switzerland.

A key feature of the digital ID will be its interoperability with various public and private entities. This means that citizens can use their digital ID for banking, shopping, healthcare, and government services, eliminating the need to carry a physical card.

“The implementation of Mobile ID represents a significant evolution in our identification system,” states the JCE document. “It will strengthen the identity and trust of our citizens in the...

President Luis Abinader shared details of the electronic passports that will be available for Dominican citizens as of August 2025. The country is transitioning to the electronic passports that are aligned with international standards and feature advanced security measures to prevent fraud and identity theft. The country joins around 140 nations that have adopted this technology, and the implementation is supported by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

It has been a slow winding road. The present administration’s first two appointees to the Passports Agency were criticized for alleged corruption. The agency, nevertheless, is now forging ahead taking giant steps after President Abinader appointed a national quality control expert, Lorenzo David Ramirez Uribe.

President Luis Abinader and the director of the Passports Agency, Lorenzo David Ramirez Uribe...

Lawmakers skip sessions without facing consequences, reports Diario Libre. The absenteeism in Congress, especially in the Chamber of Deputies is high.

The Chamber of Deputies held 41 sessions from 16 August 2024 to 9 January 2025, during which several lawmakers had high levels of absenteeism yet did not face any apparent consequences for their unjustified absences or frequent excuses, reports the newspaper. Only 14% of the deputies had perfect attendance. 44 of 178 deputies attended 34 or less sessions of the 41 that were scheduled.

Diario Libre said that 62 of the 178 deputies were even absent from the inaugural day of their session in August 2024. The newspaper shares a list of the roll call for the past session.

Congress is on break now, with the lawmaking session reopening on 27 February 2025.

Read more in...

The Centers for Diagnostic, Advanced Medicine, and Medical and Telemedicine Conferences (Cedimat) and the US hospital system Montefiore Einstein have signed an agreement to construct a state-of-the-art cancer center that will serve as a national and international reference point for cancer treatment.

The agreement, witnessed by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, is a response to the significant increase in cancer cases in the country. The most common cancers in the Dominican Republic are breast, prostate, cervical, colon, and lung.

In a press release, Cedimat says the new center will provide comprehensive care to cancer patients, combining cutting-edge technology, highly qualified personnel, and a focus on equity and social responsibility.

Likewise, Montefiore’s renowned oncology expertise will be instrumental in ensuring high-quality cancer care. This...

Arajet has begun to book flights to Miami (MIA) from Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) in Santo Domingo. The first booking date is 11 May 2025, with the one-way flight going for US$219.89. A promo code is offered for a 30% discount.

A lower fare of US$190.24 is offered for Friday, 18 January. The flights are daily minus Thursdays and Saturdays. The fares in September drop down to fares starting at US$153. Return fares start at US$130.09. These fares do not allow for luggage.

Read More:

• Arajet
• El Dia

When you see a single red flag at the beach, the beach is not closed, but it’s a warning signal indicating hazardous swimming conditions. These conditions can include strong rip currents, rough waves, or other conditions that may pose a risk to swimmers.

Bottom line, the red flag at the beach means that the water is dangerous, there can be high surf and strong currents, or both and you should not swim.

Four tourists died on Friday, 17 January 2025 at the Playa Arena Gorda beach last week after disregarding the warning.

The corpses of Polish tourists Marcin Teodor Checinski, 47, and Sylwia Aleksandra, 52, of Polish nationality, Russian tourist Jakub Tomasz Pedziach and Portuguese Nelzon Nuñes Ribeiro, 67, were recovered from the sea by rescue crews. Three other tourists were rescued in time.According to reports from the local authorities, the deceased were dragged...

The Indian Embassy, in partnership with Agora Mall, has announced the third annual Namaste India Festival, a celebration of Indian culture that is taking place from 20 to 26 January at the leading capital city mall.

Activities include dance performances, culinary demonstrations, a fashion show featuring traditional Indian attire, yoga sessions, and exhibitions on Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of medicine.

“The people-to-people connection between India and the Dominican Republic is the most important aspect of our relationship,” said Indian Ambassador Ramu Abbagani. “Wherever I go in the Dominican Republic, I see and feel the love for India and Indian culture.”

Abbagani noted the Dominican people’s enthusiasm for Indian music, Bollywood films, yoga, spirituality, and the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi.

The festival is free and open to the public through 26...

Capital city baseball fans are enjoying the playoffs that are finally taking place exclusively at the Quisqueya Juan Marichal Ball Park in Santo Domingo. The last time the two city teams are competed in the finals was in the 2015-16 championship, then won by the Escogido.

Those who bought a ticket to the opening game of the Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship on Monday, 20 January 2025, didn’t know what they were in for. It took the Tigres del Licey 14 innings to put an end to that first playoffs game, winning 4-3 against the Leones del Escogido. Reports now are that the game was among the longest in the Dominican Baseball League’s history. Indeed, El Dia writes that the seventh game of the 1980-81 championship series between the Águilas Cibaeñas and Leones del Escogido had extended to 15 innings. Similarly, the fourth game of the 1995-96 season between...

The Dominican Republic has had a record-breaking year in tourism, welcoming over 11 million visitors in 2024, Tourism Minister David Collado announced on Wednesday, 15 January 2025.

The numbers show 8,535,742 air arrivals and 2,656,305 cruise passengers, bringing the total to a historic 11,192,047 visitors for 2024.

“These results are more than just numbers; they confirm our position as a leading global tourism destination,” said Minister Collado.

Air arrivals surged by 32% compared to pre-Covid year 2019, 19% compared to 2022, and 6% compared to 2023. Similarly, cruise arrivals experienced a significant increase of 141% compared to 2019, 103% compared to 2022, and 18% compared to 2023.

The Dominican Republic’s continues strong in key markets, with the United States accounting for 46% of total arrivals, followed by Canada (17%), Colombia (5%), Argentina (4%), and Puerto Rico (3%).

Punta Cana International Airport remained the top entry point, receiving 59% of all...

The La Vega Carnival, probably the most famous in the Dominican Republic, will be taking place on Sundays in February. The first parades of the devilish creatures (diablos cojuelos) and merry-makers is set for Sunday, 2 February. Other carnival Sundays are 9, 16, and 23 February. This year, an extra day has been added for Thursday, 27 February, since the day is a holiday, National Independence Day.

In addition to the carnival parades, this year several artistic presentations are included. These are: Yailin, El Blachy, Amenazzy, Bullin 47, Jey One, Yaisel, Mozart La Para and Luis Brown. Also, Chiquito Team Band, El Mayor, Kali 8, Chucky 73, Shadow Blow, La Mas Doll, Liro Shaq, Mark B, Martín Lora, Lomiel, Flow 28 and Shelow Shaq.

Advances are underway for a new airport in Pedernales to serve the three resorts under advanced construction by the Fideicomiso Pro Pedernales, a public-private trust, and that will be operated by international chains. Presidential Minister Jose Ignacio Paliza recently announced the new airport will be built in Oviedo, in the province of Pedernales. As reported, the advances are being made on the construction of the runway.

Already, nearby Cabo Rojo Port receives thousands of cruise passengers, while the builders advance on the construction of the large resorts in the nearby beach area.

Using his account on X (formerly Twitter), Paliza said that in 18 months the airport will be capable of receiving commercial flights. The airport would have a 2,400m (7800ft) runway. A terminal building, control tower, offices, restaurant and helipad are part...

Arajet announces that they are working to launch a first flight to the United States this spring. The first flight would be Santo Domingo (Las Americas International Airport) to New York on 16 April 2025, as reported in Listin Diario. The plan is to offer two daily frequencies from SDQ to New York, said Victor Pacheco, Arajet chief executive officer.

The airline also seeks to start the Santo Domingo-Miami, Santo Domingo-San Juan, Puerto Rico. The SDQ-SJU route would have eight frequencies per day. Other routes would be Santo Domingo-Orlando and Punta Cana-San Juan routes possibly in the second quarter of the year. These routes will compete with JetBlue, Delta, American Airlines, Spirit, Frontier and others.

The airline did not announce the airports of entry for its first frequencies.

Pacheco said the start of these new operations depends on the country receiving Certification 129...

Banco Popular Dominicano has pledged US$6.2 million to construct a new cruise port in Samaná Bay. Christopher Paniagua, the bank’s executive president, made the announcement during the traditional breakfast event the bank held for media attending FITUR 2025, the Spanish travel fair, in Madrid, Spain.

The total project cost is estimated at US$9.2 million, according to Juan Manuel Martín de Oliva, vice president of Tourism Businesses for the BPD. Nevertheless, he said the project is still in the negotiation phase.

A first cruise ship terminal would have been built in the city of Samana. Nevertheless, in September 2023, the government announced the Puerto Duarte in Arroyo Barril, on the south side of the Samana peninsula, would be converted into a cruise ship terminal, through the facility of public-private trust. The agreement had been signed in March 2023. The agreement was signed with...

Starting 15 January 2025, whale tour boats depart from Samana city and other nearby areas to take foreign and domestic tourists to see the enormous whales breach in the waters of Samana Bay. The boat tours can be booked through 15 March 2025 when the whales leave the Samana Bay waters for northern shores.

Samana Bay is one of the world’s premier whale-watching sites. During peak season, between January and March, over 300 whales come to the bay from many parts of the world, including Greenland and Iceland to mate, give birth and nurse their young. The deep warm waters of Samaná Bay provide an ideal environment for these marine mammals. 

For those booking the tours, the chance of seeing at least one breaching whale is good, but there is no guarantee the whales will perform for you. Tours can last 3–4 hours as the boat captains search for the best spots to...

The Ambassador of Germany in the Dominican Republic, Maike Friedrichsen was recently in northwestern Santiago Rodríguez province to inaugurate a hanging bridge and two lookout points in the community of El Pelero. The German government contributed RD$2.1 million for the constructions that are intended to boost ecotourism in the mountainous area.

The two outlook points give panoramic views of the area. One is in Pico del Gallo, some 1,750 meters above sea level. The other presents a view of the Cenoví River basin on the road to Salto Los Bañaderos.

The funds benefited projects developed by Guakía Ambiente, Programa de Pequeños Subsidios (Small Grants Program) and Palero Ecoaventura.

The community also contributed to the development of the new tourism facilities. Ambassador Friedrichsen congratulated the community for their efforts. “We are convinced...

DR1 News will not be updated on Tuesday, 21 January 2025, a national holiday that commemorates the Day of the Virgin of High Grace (Virgen de la Altagracia). The celebrations of the Roman Catholic Church event take place East in Higuey and are centered around the Higuey Basilica. The Virgin of High Grace is the protector of the Dominican people.

The celebration of the holiday on a Tuesday, created a long weekend for many who could take the day off. Provisions should be made to avoid delays in reaching your destination, meaning traveling early, especially when returning to the cities on the holiday.

DR1 News for the day will be compiled for the Wednesday, 22 January 2025 issue. The DR1 Forums continue open 24/7.

Tuesday, 21 January 2025 is the anniversary of the Day of Our Lady of High Grace, the patroness of the Dominican Republic, and many thousands of the faithful will be traveling from all points of the country to visit the cathedral in Higüey, the provincial capital of La Altagracia province.

As is usual in these cases, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) is deploying response teams and thousands of volunteers to prevent traffic tie-ups and accidents.

Retired General Juan Manuel Mendez, the head of the COE, said that starting on Monday, 20 January 2025 at 2pm his people would begin their highway prevention operations and continue until 6pm on Tuesday 21 January.

The scenario for the operation will be between the Juan Carlos Bridge on Las Americas Avenue all the way east to the Basilica of La Altagracia in Higüey.

Their singular focus will be on accident...

María Isabel Castillo / Diario Libre

President Luis Abinader announced the appointment of new ambassadors to key diplomatic posts, as outlined in decree 20-25. The Ministry of Foreign Relations says the appointments align with the Dominican Republic’s Law 630-16 regarding rotation in diplomatic missions.

María Isabel Castillo Báez is designated as the new ambassador to the United States. Castillo, a seasoned diplomat, currently serves as the Dominican ambassador to Mexico. She is a lawyer with studies at Unibe (Santo Domingo, with two masters degrees from Columbia University in New York in international law and intellectual property and Latin American international affairs and economic development. She is the daughter of well-known Dominican corporate lawyer Praxedes Castillo, and began her career working at his law firm before joining Dominican diplomacy.

Juan Bolivar Díaz...

The Dominican Association of University Rectors (ADRU) has raised important questions regarding the current legislative process that seeks to merge the ministries of Education (Minerd) and Higher Education, Science and Technology (Mescyt) into a single entity. The university leaders claim that the proposal will limit the autonomy of the nation’s universities since the legislation includes articles concerning the management of the universities and institutional policies along with other things that would limit each university’s autonomy as an academic institution.

The rectors also say that the legislation does not seem to recognize the distinctions between these institutions of higher learning. While voicing their understanding of the reasoning behind the legislation, the nation’s top educators also point out that in line with the government’s new stand, vocational...

The Acting Committee for the Pact on Animals, led by the executives of the Listin Diario, has announced a massive effort to spay and neuter as many of the dogs and cats that live on the streets as possible. Both processes, the sterilization process and the awareness campaign are scheduled to take place in the first quarter of 2025.

The educational and awareness portion of the process is known as “Love Saves” and is aimed at teaching people to care and respect these creatures. The efforts of the group are aimed at the sterilization of 10,000 animals a year, which will greatly assist in controlling as many as two million strays over a year’s time.

The driving forces behind these initiatives are Miguel Franjul, the director of the newspaper and Lorenny Solano, the head of the Dominican Animal Rights Federation (FEDDA). They noted that one of the major issues is the...

President Luis Abinader issued Decree 10-15 dated 15 January 2025 that designates the name of the late advertising guru and poet Rene del Risco Bermudez to the Telecommunications Cultural Center located at Isabel la Catolica Street No. 214. The center is operated by the Dominican Telecommunications Center (Indotel).

The late Rene del Risco’s daughter, Minerva del Risco was named part of a committee that will work with Indotel board president Guido Gomez Mzara and National Library director Rafael Peralta Romero to coordinate actions to implement the mandate. Minerva del Risco is the wife of former Dominican ambassador to the United States Flavio Dario Espinal, who served as legal advisor during the last government of former President Danilo Medina.

Minerva del Risco is a leading literature promoter. In 2024, Del Risco was one of the leading organizers of Centroamerica Cuenta, a major...

Jose Manuel Armenteros Rius passed away on Saturday, 18 January 2025. His family was preparing his 100th birthday on 26 March. He was working on an expanded version of his life memoirs. He had lots to tell and share.

Armenteros is renowned for his significant contributions to the nation’s development, particularly in the water engineering, the environment and business. Of Spanish descent, he was actually born in the eastern province of San Pedro de Macoris. He carried out a doctorate in engineering at the Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos de Madrid, Spain and returned to the Dominican Republic where his career was marked by environmental stewardship.

Armenteros founded the Fondo Pro Naturaleza (ProNatura) in the 1990s, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving watersheds, conserving soils, and reforesting the Dominican landscape...

Baseball fans in the Dominican Republic are in for a treat over the next week as the two teams from the capital city of Santo Domingo face off for the Dominican Professional Winter Baseball Championship finals organized by the Dominican Professional Baseball League (Lidom).

The Tigres del Licey made the playoffs finishing in first place in the 71st Lidom season with 11 victories and four losses. The Leones del Escogido followed with 10-5, Estrellas Orientales (that had won the regular season) with 5-9 and the Aguilas Cibaeñas with 3-11.

It was the Licey’s third consecutive year making of the playoffs.

Starting Monday, 20 January 2025, the Tigres del Licey will now face the Leones del Escogido in the championship round of the 2024-2025 championships to decide the Dominican representative in the Caribbean Championship that this February 2025 will be played in...