According to the latest Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, the Dominican Republic continues to show progress in its fight against corruption.
In the latest Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released in February 2026, the Dominican Republic is ranked 99th globally out of 182 countries. The country received a score of 37 out of 100. This marks the fifth consecutive year of improvement, as the nation has climbed steadily from its 2020 low point, when it was ranked 136th with a score of 28 and a regional position of 18th out of 33 countries in the Americas.
The report, analyzed locally by Participación Ciudadana, indicates that while the country has managed to avoid the sharp declines seen in several neighboring nations, it has yet to achieve the structural breakthroughs necessary for a significant leap in the rankings. Analysts point to a persistent “wait-and-see” atmosphere regarding the effectiveness of judicial reforms and the prosecution of high-level administrative corruption.
Nevertheless, the Dominican Republic distinguishes itself as the only country in the Americas to maintain a consistent upward trajectory over the last five years. Since hitting a record low of 28 points and a rank of 136 in 2020, the nation has steadily climbed to its current score of 37, and now occupies the 99th position globally. This nine-point gain represents a significant departure from the regional average, where ten other nations saw their scores drop during the same period.
The report lists 17 nations in the hemisphere with better transparency scores, including regional leaders such as Canada, Uruguay, Barbados, the Bahamas, and the United States. Other Latin American and Caribbean nations outperforming the Dominican Republic include Chile, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Costa Rica, Grenada, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Cuba, Guyana, Suriname, and Colombia.
Conversely, the Dominican Republic currently sits ahead of 15 countries in the region. These include Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Panama, El Salvador, and Peru. The nations with the lowest scores in the region, many of which are facing severe governance crises, include Bolivia, Mexico, Guatemala, Paraguay, Honduras, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Despite this middle-of-the-pack standing, local analysts emphasize government controls continue weak as the recent Senasa scandal evidences. The Abinader administration has removed government officials that investigative journalism reports signal out as corrupt, not so internal controls. The consequences for irregularities in office have failed to go beyond the individual’s removal from government.
Participacion Ciudadana, the local representative of Transparency International highlights that for the Dominican Republic, the challenge remains moving beyond legal rhetoric to ensure that anti-corruption measures result in definitive convictions and the recovery of stolen public assets. Experts emphasize that without strengthening the autonomy of the Public Ministry and ensuring the integrity of the judicial system, the country risks remaining in a cycle of “moderate” perception rather than joining the ranks of more transparent global economies.
Read more:
Transparency International
Corruption Perception Index 2025
Participación Ciudadana Local Analysis
Diario Libre
11 February 2026