With the financial backing of the Banco Popular Dominicano, the General National Archives announced the general public now has access to an extensive digital collection of historical documents related to Spain and the Dominican Republic. Over a million pages of historical records, spanning more than three and a half centuries of shared Dominican and Spanish history, are now publicly accessible. The effort was in collaboration with Spain’s State Archives.
Ignacio Sánchez de Lerín, Minister Counselor of the Spanish Embassy in the Dominican Republic, underscored the profound significance of the project. “This initiative holds enormous importance for historical research, providing access to thousands of documents that chronicle key moments in both Dominican and Spanish history,” he stated.
AGN Director General Roberto Cassá hailed the project as “an extraordinary event for understanding more than three centuries of our people’s history.” He emphasized that the digital access will empower researchers from the Dominican Republic, Spain, and around the world to explore an invaluable trove of information on the common history shared by Spain and what was then known as Santo Domingo, now the Dominican Republic.
Ana María López Cuadrado, Deputy Director General of Spain’s State Archives, confirmed the ongoing commitment to the project. She announced plans for the continued digitalization of additional collections from the General Archive of the Indies, the General Archive of Simancas, and the General Archive of the Administration, aiming to further expand the available historical resources for researchers and the public alike.
Former Dominican Republic Ambassador to Spain, Olivo Rodríguez Huertas, reflected on his tenure, stating that he was committed to bolstering the cultural component through diplomacy focused on projecting the Dominican Republic. It was during his ambassadorship that the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Spain’s State Archives and the Dominican Republic’s General National Archive, an agreement that paved the way for the digitalization of these precious historical documents.
José Mármol, executive vice president of Corporate Communications, Reputation, and Responsible Banking for Grupo Popular, highlighted the Banco Popular’s vital role. “As a company with enduring social value, Banco Popular has consistently dedicated itself to contributing to the country’s cultural and historical heritage, positioning itself as a key ally in safeguarding and promoting Dominican identity,” he remarked.
This milestone marks the successful completion of the project’s first phase, initiated with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding in Madrid on 29 January 2019. The agreement facilitated the identification, selection, organization, and digitalization of thousands of primary documents preserved in major Spanish archives, including the General Archive of the Indies (AGI), the National Historical Archive (AHN), the General Archive of Simancas, and the General Archive of the Administration.
Digitized content offers rich historical insights
The newly accessible digital collection at the AGN features materials from the General Archive of the Indies dating back to the late 15th century. These documents span crucial sections such as Justice, Notary, Accounting, Contracting, and the Santo Domingo section itself. Notable documents include:
• Lawsuits concerning indigenous rights.
• Acts of probation related to colonization.
• Judicial proceedings regarding confiscations due to capital offenses.
• Requests from Vicereine María de Toledo to the Santo Domingo council.
• Disputes between colonial authorities like Diego Colón and Lorenzo Ibarra.
From the National Historical Archive, documents from the Overseas, State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Councils sections have been digitized. Examples include:
• Books of pardons for enslaved individuals.
• Records of the Royal Treasury and the Royal Bank of Santo Domingo.
• Reports on ship arrivals.
• Official correspondence concerning the handover of the island to France and the evacuation of Spanish troops.
Furthermore, due to their nature, the collection also encompasses references to historical ties with other Caribbean islands such as Cuba and Puerto Rico, as well as migratory processes linked to Venezuela, forming a document body of immense regional value.
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National Archives
16 July 2025