President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje concluded a high-level diplomatic mission to Chile on 11 March 2026, marking the inauguration of President José Antonio Kast with a focus on strategic industrial synergies and the empowerment of the Dominican diaspora. President Abinader was also accompanied by Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez.
A primary focus of the President’s agenda was the potential for industrial and cultural collaboration between the two nations. Highlighting the global reputation of Chilean wine, President Abinader discussed potential technical exchanges to bolster the Dominican grape industry. He emphasized that the Dominican Republic could benefit significantly from Chile’s world-renowned expertise in viticulture.
Ambassador Juan Cohén announced the upcoming “Dominican Week in Chile” for November 2026. The event aims to further promote national culture and strengthen trade ties between the two nations.
During the visit, the President also met with representatives of the Dominican migrants in Chile. The President urged his compatriots to take full advantage of Chile’s educational system and to integrate as “exemplary citizens,” noting that human capital is the diaspora’s greatest asset.
With approximately 23,000 Dominicans residing in the South American nation, the fourth-largest diaspora population, the President emphasized that warm relations with the Kast administration would yield new protections for “Quisqueyanos.” “We have taken note of your requirements,” Abinader stated. “For us, no request is too small.”
Francisco Berigüete, director of the Institute for Dominicans Abroad (Index) in Chile, confirmed that the administration is fulfilling its promises to the community, focusing on the preservation of Dominican customs and economic contributions back home. Ambassador Cohén noted that the mission is operating under strict instructions to add value to the community, which now stretches from the South Pole in Punta Arenas to Easter Island.
A diplomatic bridge, meeting with Éléonore Caroit
President Luis Abinader took time for a significant meeting with Éléonore Caroit, who was in Chile representing French President Emmanuel Macron. Caroit is the Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Nationals Abroad and she holds a unique connection to the Dominican Republic, where she was born and raised, daughter of Jean Michel Caroit who for years was the active correspondent for Le Monde for the Caribbean/Dominican Republic.
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Presidency
Ministry of Foreign Relations
DR1 News
12 March 2026