DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

In a move to facilitate travel during the peak of the Easter holiday, the RD Vial Trust, in coordination with the Ministry of Public Works (MOPC) has announced that all toll booths nationwide will suspend collections on Good Friday, 3 April 2026, a national holiday.

The measure applies to every station managed by RD Vial along the national highway network. This includes high-traffic arteries such as the Duarte Highway, Las Américas, 6 de Noviembre, the Coral Highway, and the Northeast Highway (Autopista del Nordeste).

Infrastructure and safety readinessTo accommodate the surge in travelers, RD Vial and MOPC have ramped up maintenance and safety protocols. Key operational details include:

The “Clean Roads Program” has intensified operations across its 4,500-kilometer scope to ensure optimal conditions before and after the holiday.

The Military and Police Commission (COMIPOL)...

As the Dominican Republic intensifies preparations for the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games Santo Domingo 2026, the Ministry of Housing, Habitat, and Buildings (Mived) officially delivered the fully remodeled Table Tennis Pavilion at Parque del Este on Monday, 30 March 2026.

The renovation is part of a broader sports infrastructure overhaul managed by Mived to meet international high-performance standards ahead of the regional multisport event scheduled for July 2026. Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó emphasized that the facility now aligns with the rigorous technical requirements of global competition.

“This is an infrastructure that organizes, functions, and responds to the international standards that high-level sports require today,” stated Bisonó. “It provides everything necessary for table tennis to be practiced at a high-performance level.”

Technical specifications...

Minister of Housing and Buildings (Mived), Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, announced a comprehensive urban redevelopment plan for the grounds currently occupied by the La Victoria National Penitentiary. Speaking on the morning news program El Despertador on 31 March 2026, Bisonó detailed a transition that will see the notorious prison replaced by a large-scale educational center and a low-cost housing project.

The redevelopment is contingent upon the total closure of La Victoria, a move facilitated by the upcoming delivery of a second phase at the Las Parras correctional complex. Bisono said that this year a second phase will be ready at Las Parras Jail to relocate all the remaining inmates from La Victoria. A first phase opened last year and received around 2,000 inmates. At its peak, La Victoria housed 9,000 inmates.

According to Bisonó, the residential project at the La Victoria site...

The Attorney General Office’s Public Ministry (PGR) requested on Monday, 30 March 2026, a one-year preventive detention measure against prosecutor Aurelio Valdez Alcantara. Valdez Alcantara was arrested in a sting operation for allegedly accepting a US$10,000 bribe from an individual under criminal investigation related to the ongoing governmental Senasa medical insurance case.

The 50-page coercive measure request was filed by prosecutor Andrés Mena before Judge Ysis Muñiz Almonte, a Special Instruction Judge of the Penal Chamber of the National District Court of Appeals. The case is being personally overseen by Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso and Deputy Prosecutor Wilson Camacho, head of the Prosecution of Corruption Specialized Agency (PEPCA).

Details of the extortion allegationsAccording to the investigation, Valdez Alcantara’s demands to Senasa case informant Roberto...

As of 31 March 2026, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues to face critical staffing shortages. For travelers heading to the Dominican Republic and those headed from the DR to the US and Puerto Rico, the personnel gap poses a significant risk to flight connections and overall travel time.

Reports are that the TSA situation in the United States is beginning to stabilize following a period of extreme disruption caused by a partial government shutdown that began on 14 February 2026. While a deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is moving through the US Congress, the “residual effects” are significantly impacting travel during the peak spring break season.

On 27 March 2026, an executive order was signed to fast-track pay for TSA officers who had been working without pay for weeks. While officers began receiving backpay on 30 March 2026, morale remains...

Jarabacoa is finalizing preparations for the 32nd edition of its traditional Maratón de la Montaña MMountain Marathon), a cornerstone of the municipality’s Easter Week sports and tourism calendar. Scheduled for Saturday, 4 April 2026, the event will honor local tech entrepreneur Chris Corcino for his contributions to the community and professional excellence.

The competition, organized by the Jarabacoa City Council in collaboration with the Runners Club and the Jarabacoa Sports Union (UDEJA), is expected to draw over 1,200 participants. Since its transformation into a more inclusive format in 2017, the race has evolved from a high-performance 21K to a community-focused event featuring multiple distances.

The race will commence at 7am at Km. 0 on Avenida La Confluencia, with routes designed to accommodate various fitness levels:• 10K: For competitive...

Minister of Tourism David Collado visited the “Emerald Province” of Monte Plata on 24 March 2026 to inaugurate restoration works at two of the country’s most significant religious sites. Collado also announced urban renewal projects for the area for RD$118 million. The projects are part of a strategic push to bolster religious and cultural tourism in the region, located approximately 60 kilometers from Santo Domingo.

The Ministry focused heavily on the province’s deep-rooted pilgrimage traditions, specifically targeting two iconic temples:Santuario Santo Cristo de los Milagros (Bayaguana): As a primary pilgrimage center with over 500 years of history, this site received a RD$81,596,311 intervention managed by the Executing Committee of Infrastructure in Tourist Zones (CEIZTUR).

Security & infrastructure: The project included the construction of a...

For Easter Week (Semana Santa) 2026, the Colonial City (Ciudad Colonial) in Santo Domingo is the center of the country’s religious and cultural traditions. Below are the key events and details regarding the choral concert and other activities:

Events in the Colonial CityHoly Thursday (2 April 2026):Mass of the Lord’s Supper, includes the ritual washing of the feet.Adoration of the Monuments: From 6pm until midnight, all churches in the Colonial City remain open for the traditional “Visit of the Seven Churches.”

Good Friday (3 April 2026):Sermon of the Seven Words (Sermón de las Siete Palabras) is held at the Cathedral from 1 to 3pm.The Easter Concert (Concierto de Semana Santa) at the Cathedral of Santa Maria la Menor (Catedral Primada de América) is scheduled for Good Friday, 3 April at 8pm. The event features the participation of the Cathedral choir and orchestra...

VINCI Airports/Aerodom announces it has chosen the Dominican construction firm Solucreto (formally Solucreto Soluciones Concretas S.R.L.) to execute the concrete superstructure for the new US$350 million terminal at Las Américas International Airport (SDQ). The terminal is slated to add capacity for four million passengers a year. This will double the current capacity of the airport that mainly serves capital city traffic.

The selection was coordinated by VINCI Construction Grands Projects, the lead entity overseeing the ambitious infrastructure expansion. Solucreto is mainly known for its residential developments, including Emerald Towers on Av. Jacobo Majluta and Sotavento Beach Townhouses in Playa Nueva Romana.

Scope of the structural worksSolucreto, led by Engineer Frank Sánchez, will be responsible for the “resistant skeleton” of the terminal. This...

The Ministry of Education has announced that public schools are closed on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 for the Easter Week vacation. Classes will reopen on Monday, 6 April 2026. Most private and public students were off for their Easter Week holiday on Friday, 27 March.

The Ministry of Education also joined other authorities in a call for prudence and moderation during the week’s celebrations. In a push for such moderation, the Ministry of the Interior and the Police issued Resolution MIP-RR-0001-2026, which establishes the public safety rules for the Holy Week activities. Signed by Interior & Police Minister Faride Raful, the measure tries to guarantee a peaceful environment throughout the week.

One of the major items of the resolution was the prohibition of large-scale parties on the beaches, rivers, streams, and swimming holes throughout the country. The resolution also...

President Luis Abinader inaugurated the new power plant on Manzanillo Bay, Montecristi on Friday, 27 March 2026. The 414 MW power plant is part of the US$1.7 billion power, port and industrial development in the northwestern province. Speaking during the inauguration of the first phase of the power plant, Abinader gave an overview of what is happening in Montecristi. He said the province is experiencing an unrivalled process of development and change.

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Manzanillo Power Land 414 MW generating facility, which cost US$345 million and was financed through AFI Banreservas, the chief executive noted that this very large generating plant, along with a few others, will reduce the gap between electricity supply and the demand for the service.

The new energy facility, which operates on natural gas, will begin...

The Dominican government, through the Trust for the Development of the Mass Transportation System (FITRAM) announced Hercules Construcciones of Mexico is the engineering firm that will be providing the engineering expertise for the first phase of the Santo Domingo Monorail. Hercules Construcciones at present is building mass transit systems in Monterrey, Mexico.

This ambitious infrastructure project is a core component of the Santo Domingo Integrated Transportation System (SIT-SD), designed to alleviate the capital’s chronic traffic congestion by integrating multiple high-capacity transit modes. The winning bid was for RD$28.98 billion or approximately US$460-470 million.

The first stage of the monorail will span 10.5 kilometers and feature 12 stations. The route is set to run from Bridge Rey Juan Carlos on Av. Charles de Gaulle in Santo Domingo Este to the...

The French Development Agency (AFD) is lending US$178.3 million for the massive overhaul of Metro Line 2, transitioning it from a regional line into a high-capacity urban artery.

According to the Office for the Reorganization of Transport (OPRET) and the French Development Agency (AFD), the funds are specifically earmarked for the following technical and structural expansions:

Rolling stock & train capacity. A primary objective of this loan is to transition the fleet from three-car sets to six-car configurations.• New acquisitions: The funding supports the purchase of 14 new metro trains (specifically the Alstom Metropolis model).• Capacity doubling: By coupling existing units and adding the new cars, OPRET aims to double the passenger capacity per trip. This is designed to eliminate the long queues seen during peak hours at major transfer hubs.

Infrastructure & platform...

Commuters on the Duarte Highway had to endure major inconveniences as the south north lanes were shut down on Sunday, 29 March 2026 for the removal of the pedestrian bridge. The old bridge is replaced by a modern crossway.

The Ministry of Public Works detailed the technical specifications for a new structural landmark at Kilometer 9 of the Duarte Highway. The project features a 52-meter metallic walkway designed to serve as a seamless transition point for the capital’s expanding transit network.

The new pedestrian bridge has a 15-meter cantilever (vuelo) on one side and provides a direct link between the María Montez Station (Metro Line 2), the Santo Domingo Oeste Cable Car (Line 3), and the southern marginal road. The design aims to provide pedestrians with a safe, unobstructed crossing in one of the city’s most congested transit corridors.

Engineering and urban...

On 29 March 2026, President Luis Abinader inaugurated the new RD$117 million administrative headquarters for the Metropolitan Bus Services Operator (OMSA) in Santo Domingo West. Located on Prolongación 27 de Febrero, the 1,400 square meter three-level facility is a cornerstone of the government’s current initiative to modernize the state-run transport entity.

During the ceremony, officials outlined the broader “transformation” of OMSA, which includes the integration of 200 new buses into the fleet. The new buses come with a new branding. The Abinader administration has said the goal is to elevate Santo Domingo’s public transport system to the level of major regional cities. The buses enable metro commuters to continue their routes with the same pass.

The government also confirmed a strategic shift toward electromobility, incorporating electric units to improve the...

With the exception of essential services such as hospitals, public safety, and emergency services (911), the rest of the government will begin Easter Week vacation on Wednesday, 1 April 2026 at 4pm. The Ministry of Public Administration issued Circular #001054 last week indicating that only those agencies that provide essential services will be available during the very long weekend.

Read more in Spanish:

• El Dia

An analysis by José Singer, former Dominican special envoy to the United Nations Security Council, published in Diario Libre on 28 March 2026, provides a stark warning regarding the long-term structural risks of “flexibilizing” local trade and tax rules to accommodate Chinese state-backed investment.

Singer Weisinger warns of the erosion of the local tax base and the strategic displacement of Dominican industry.

He writes that the Dominican Republic is currently repeating the “myopia” seen in other Latin American nations by prioritizing short-term consumer savings over long-term economic sovereignty.

Drawing from a recent 60 Minutes (CBS) report and his own diplomatic missions to Huawei headquarters, Singer highlights a pattern where Chinese state subsidies allow firms to undercut competitors until the local industry is forced to retreat.

The threat to the tax baseA...

Once again, the Center for Emergency Operations (COE) launches Easter Week plan to save lives. Late last week, former general Juan Manuel Mendez, the head of the Center for Emergency Operations (COE), announced the Operation Life Awareness 2026, designed to reduce fatalities during the celebration of Easter Week in the Dominican Republic.

The quantity of the equipment assembled to this operation is impressive: 637 ambulances, 27 boats, three helicopters, 47 OMSA buses, 327 fast-response units, 3,451 aid stations, 57 tow trucks, 25 mobile workshops, nine regional command centers, 25 centers for lost children, and 27 highway-assistance units. Drive slower and be safe was the key expression.

The operation will begin on Thursday, 2 April at 2pm and extend until 6pm on Sunday, 5 April.

Mendez reported that 22 government and civil agencies would be taking part in the operation...

The United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has begun an evaluation process of new regulations covering call centers located outside of the country. The idea is to provide incentives for these businesses to return to the United States. The measures also seek to halt automated telephone scams carried out from abroad that hurt so many people.

On 26 March 2026, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) aimed at “onshoring” call center jobs and implementing strict new regulations on overseas customer service operations.

The move, spearheaded by FCC chairman Brendan Carr, marks a significant shift in United States policy, linking the use of foreign call centers directly to poor customer service, data security risks, and the facilitation of illegal robocalls.

Key provisions of the FCC Proposal (FCC 26-16)The formal...

Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah confirmed on 27 March 2026 that Clínica Estética Diosa, the facility in Santiago recently shuttered following the death of a 32-year-old patient, was only licensed for outpatient consultations and lacked the legal permits to perform surgical procedures.

The victim, identified as Geraldín Hernández, died during a cosmetic intervention at the clinic located in the Los Jardines Metropolitanos sector. Following the incident, the Ministry of Public Health’s licensing department moved to close the facility entirely.

Illegal operation and judicial referralMinister Atallah stated that the clinic “violated established protocols” by overstepping its licensed scope of practice. He emphasized that the case is now being transitioned to the judicial system for a formal investigation.

National crackdown on unlicensed centersThe incident comes...

Attorney General Jenny Berenice Reynoso – Listin Diario

In a large-scale offensive against organized crime, the Attorney General Office’s Public Ministry, supported by the National Police and the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), executed “Operation Caribbean” in the tourist hub of Boca Chica, half an hour east of the capital city. The multi-agency weekend crackdown, carried out between the night of 28 March and the early hours of 29 March 2026, resulted in the rescue of 37 victims and the arrest of six individuals linked to human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Tactical scope and interventionsThe operation was the culmination of weeks of strategic intelligence gathering and security profiling of the Boca Chica sector. Under the direction of Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso, the task force targeted a spectrum of criminal activities, including:• Commercial sexual...

Senator Omar Fernández, the 34-year-old legislator representing the National District and son of three-time former President Leonel Fernández, married his long-time partner Alexia Rubio in a private ceremony on 28 March 2026. Fernández, served as a deputy before rising to prominence when winning the capital city Senate seat in 2024 with the People’s Force (FP) party. He is regarded as one of the most influential young figures in Dominican politics.

His bride, Alexia Rubio, is a highly regarded professional in the Dominican financial and marketing sectors. Currently serving as the Sponsorship Manager (Gerente de Patrocinios), Media Manager, and Segments Manager at Banreservas, Rubio has built a robust career within the state-owned bank over several years. Her academic background includes a Master’s degree in Marketing from Florida International University (FIU)...

On Saturday, 28 March 2026, the family announced the passing of Héctor José Rizek Llabaly, a titan of the Dominican cacao industry. His passing marks the end of an era for a family lineage that transformed the Dominican Republic into a global powerhouse for organic cacao.

Born in San Francisco de Macorís, Rizek was the son of Palestinian immigrants Nazario Rizek and Ghandy Llabaly, who laid the foundation for what would become a multi-generational agricultural empire.

Héctor Rizek is credited with professionalizing the Dominican cacao sector, moving it beyond mere raw commodity exports toward a model of high-quality, sustainable production. Under his leadership, Rizek Cacao became synonymous with technical innovation and social responsibility.

Rizek played a pivotal role in the country’s global positioning, placing Dominican cacao on the maps of the world’s elite...

For Carla Quiñones, executive director of Jenny Polanco, Dominican fashion is not merely something to be worn; it is inherited, protected, and projected. In a recent interview with Listín Diario, the daughter of the legendary Jenny Polanco fashion designer detailed her mission to continue the 41-year history of a brand deeply intertwined with Dominican cultural identity.

The interview took place during the fashion brand’s participation in Dominicana Moda 2026, hosted at the Kimpton Las Mercedes in the Colonial City. For the first time, the iconic design house presented a 16-piece bridal runway show, marking a milestone for both the brand and the country’s leading fashion event produced by Sócrates McKinney.

Her mother had opened a haute couture boutique at the Santo Domingo Sheraton and from the start revolutionized the way Dominicans saw fashion with...