DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s economy is showing strong momentum, with foreign direct investment (FDI) hitting US$2.89 billion in the first half of 2025, according to preliminary figures from the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD). This marks a significant 15.3% increase compared to the same period last year.

The robust performance has the Central Bank projecting that FDI will surpass US$4.7 billion by the end of the year, a result that underscores international investor confidence in the country. For the third consecutive year, the Dominican Republic has cemented its position as the top recipient of foreign investment in the region, a fact highlighted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Sectoral analysis reveals that nearly half of the FDI inflows were concentrated in the tourism and energy sectors. The energy...

It was a take it or leave it situation, and President Luis Abinader chose to enact the Penal Code bill as received from the ruling party majority Congress. The code does not go into effect until August 2026, giving still time for society and other branches of government to present recommendations for Congress to pass changes.

In his weekly press briefing, President Luis Abinader on 4 August 2025 defended his enactment of the new Penal Code. Abinader framed the recently enacted legislation (Law 74-25) as a significant improvement over the current code which has been in effect since 20 May 1884.

The President admitted that the new code, slated to take effect in 2026, falls short of being ideal. However, he stressed it was the best version achievable given the current political and social climate.

“The truth is, and I repeat, there is no perfect law. Every law is perfectible. This...

Maria Estela de Leon Veloz / Diario Libre

The Senate has appointed Maria Estela de Leon Veloz as the new alternate member of the Central Electoral Board (JCE). She will replace Iván Vladimir Félix Vargas, who was recently appointed as a deputy prosecutor at the Attorney General Office.

De León Veloz, an attorney and journalist with 31 years of experience at the JCE, will serve as the alternate to Samir Chami Isa, one of the five primary members of the board.

Her appointment fills the vacancy left by Félix Vargas, who was chosen by the National Council of the Magistracy to join a team of seven deputy prosecutors assisting Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso.

Félix Vargas previously led the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes and Offenses of High Technology (Pedatec) and is now coordinating the G-5 project, an initiative focused on the technological...

Carolina Rendon / The World Bank

Peruvian lawyer Carolina Rendón will be the new World Bank resident representative for the Dominican Republic, succeeding Mexican Alexandria Valerio who held the position for the past five years. Most recently, she has held the position of World Bank Resident Representative in Uruguay.

Based in Santo Domingo, Rendón will lead the dialogue with representatives from the government, civil society, the international community, and other key figures in Dominican society, with the aim of supporting the country’s efforts to strengthen human capital, improve employment opportunities and the provision of quality public services, and increase climate resilience.

Rendón joined the World Bank in 2005. Since then, she has served as a Public Sector Specialist in various regions including Latin America, Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. She was also...

A win by the women’s U23 Dominican Republic team is nothing extraordinary, but a gold medal win by the U23 Dominican Republic’s men’s volleyball team in the U23 Pan American Cup is unheard of. Yet it happened.

On 3 August 2025, in Guatemala City, following what Norceca league reports as a “thrilling five-set battle,” the Dominican Republic was crowned champions of the Men’s U23 Pan American Cup after defeating the United States 3-2 (25-23, 21-25, 23-25, 25-19, 16-14) at the Domo Polideportivo in Guatemala City.

Norceca’s press release describes the match as “a power-packed match, with both teams showcasing their offensive strength.” The Dominican defense stood out, led by libero Eliander Jiménez, who kept the ball off the floor. The Dominicans executed better to take the first set.

The second and third sets went to the United States, that despite their attacking and...

Saul Leonardo (Mena RD) is now a three-time Evo champion after winning Evo 2025, EvoJapan 2025 and Evo Japan 2024. He previously captured two Capcom Cup championship titles. He is also one of the top Street Fighter 6 players in the world. His victory brought a cash prize of US$16,932.

MenaRD is now a three-time Evo champion after winning Evo 2025, Evo Japan 2025 and Evo Japan 2024. Adding that to his two Capcom Cup championship titles and MenaRD is one of the top Street Fighter 6 players in the world right now.

Leonardo for years has been calling for more support for the DR’s Street Fighter scene to build the local community.

Esports will be a medal sport for the first time at the Santo Domingo 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games. This marks a significant step in recognizing esports as a mainstream sport and integrating it into a major regional...

Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) has activated an alternate runway to handle the arrival and departure of international, cargo, and domestic flights, Diógenes Tejada reports for Hoy. This measure was implemented to allow for maintenance work on the airport’s main runway, the 17-35.

According to Aeropuertos Dominicanos Siglo XXI (Aerodom), the company managing the airport, the alternate runway will remain fully operational throughout the maintenance. This ensures increased operational capacity, as well as the safety and efficiency of all air traffic.

Aerodom reported that all air operations, both international and domestic, are proceeding smoothly, highlighting the company’s commitment to continuously improving airport services. The first airline to use the alternate runway was Frontier, with a departing flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This initiative...

Hyatt is promoting its new adults-only all-inclusive haven, part of Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection portfolio, the Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort that formally opened on 1 August 2025 in the newly developed Miches area. The hotel is about an hour and a half drive north from the Punta Cana International Airport.

Tucked along the untouched shoreline of Playa Esmeralda in the Dominican Republic’s emerging Miches region, this new adults-only resort redefines romantic travel with a curated blend of privacy, indulgence, and immersive connection to one of the Caribbean’s most pristine natural landscapes.

Set across a private, palm-lined stretch of Playa Esmeralda and surrounded by lush tropical scenery in Miches, Secrets Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa features 500 elegantly appointed suites, each with a private terrace or balcony, with many offering ocean views...

With a planned opening of 1 September 2025, Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa will offer a parallel experience designed for families and multigenerational travelers, and ideal for destination weddings. With 500 suites, a waterpark, Explorer’s Club for Kids, Core Zone Teen Club, ten restaurants and seven bars, this new resort will provide inclusive amenities alongside beachfront fun.

The Dreams Playa Esmeralda Resort & Spa is located adjacent to the adults-only Secrets Playa Esmeralda. Guests at Secrets have access to the facilities at Dreams.

The hotels are located in the new Miches beach destination area, about 100 km from the Punta Cana International Airport, about an hour and a half drive.

Tourism Minister David Collado officially inaugurated the newly renovated Juan Pablo Duarte Park and reopened the meticulously restored Las Mercedes Street on Wednesday, 30 July 2025 in the historic center of Santo Domingo.

The extensive restoration efforts of the two prioritized streets fall under the “Integral Program for the Touristic and Urban Development of the Colonial City,” a collaborative initiative between the Ministry of Tourism (MITUR) and the Inter-American Development Bank (BID), backed by a substantial US$90 million investment.

The initiative seeks to transform the historic Colonial City’s thoroughfares into more livable, walkable, inclusive, and accessible public spaces for its residents, businesses, and visitors alike.

The renovation of Duarte Park encompassed a range of upgrades, including new lighting, enhanced landscaping, the...

In a landmark moment for Dominican justice, President Luis Abinader has officially signed into law the sweeping new Penal Code that replaces a criminal statute in place since 1884. On Sunday, 3 August 2025, in the afternoon, President Luis Abinader signed off on Penal Code Law 74-25. The revised code was subject to decades of discussions. The Presidency says it introduces major legal innovations aimed at strengthening the rule of law, improving citizen security, and addressing modern forms of crime.

The Presidency in its announcement says that the new legislation —backed by the country’s major political parties— ushers in a contemporary framework for criminal justice after 141 years under the old code. It includes stronger penalties, new categories of offenses, and a broader emphasis on prevention and rehabilitation.

The Presidency says the key highlights of the 2025 Penal...

With his signature on Sunday, 3 August 2025, President Luis Abinader enacted the Penal Code. The new Penal Code will go into effect in a year’s time, giving still many months for consultations and possible future amendments by Congress.

The ruling party majority Modern Revolutionary Party senate and chamber of deputies had delivered the bill to the President after a marathonic session that ended at 3am on Friday, 5 August 2025. It was the best they could do after years of expensive outings to resorts for debates and long discussions in the Centro de los Heroes headquarters, and millions spent on advisors. Regardless, the bill has been criticized as a setback instead of the modern penal code the country wanted.

Generalized dissatisfaction with what the PRM-majority Congress had delivered as its version for a modernized Penal Code had many asking President Luis Abinader to...

Magin Diaz / Diario Libre

With the appointment of new vice ministers, the Abinader administration advanced with the merger of the ministries of Economy and Hacienda. President Luis Abinader earlier had named Magin Diaz as the new Minister of Hacienda and Economy.

By Presidential Decree 426-25, dated 29 July 2025, President Luis Abinader named Magin Diaz the new Minister of Hacienda and Economy and the following deputy ministers were named to oversee key areas:• Treasury and Public Assets – Derby Bolívar de los Santos Abreu• Budget and Accounting – José Jesús Rijo Presbot, who will also continue as Director General of the Budget Office• Planning and Public Investment – Martín Francos Rodríguez• Fiscal Policy – Camila Hernández Villamán• Public Credit – María José Martínez Dauhajre• Economy – Alexis Vidal Cruz Rodríguez

The creation of the new ministry was authorized under Law...

Moody’s risk assessment agency has upgraded the Dominican Republic’s long-term local and foreign-currency issuer and senior unsecured debt ratings to Ba2 from Ba3, while changing the outlook to stable from positive.

The upgrade is described as one that reflects the country’s sustained high growth rates and economic diversification, which have enhanced income levels and overall economic strength. The Dominican Republic has averaged around 5% annual growth over the past 15 years, with tourism serving as a key growth engine attracting both domestic and foreign investment. The upgrading comes at a time when the country is posting a growth rate of less than 3% so far for this year, attributed to the generalized uncertainties in global markets.

Moody’s cited recent improvements to the country’s institutional quality and policy frameworks, along with a track record of...

Just moments after the Senate gave the final approval to the new Penal Code, the legislators also approved three new loan contracts during that early morning session that ended at 3am.

Respecting the request by the President, the senators approved a US$200 million loan from the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB) for the design and studies needed to prepare the nation’s bridges for the future.

Another US$380 million from the IDB will be used to do an overhaul of the water and sewage systems of Dominican coastal and tourist cities and towns. These funds will be funneled through the National Institute for Water and Sewage (Inapa).

And finally, both chambers approved a loan from the Latin American and Caribbean Development Bank for US$35 million, to be used to shore up and improve the water system for Santo Domingo, especially in the upper parts of the Ozama River where...

Efforts to reduce traffic accidents in the Dominican Republic have not yet made a difference. Meanwhile, the Abinader administration is investing heavily in trauma hospitals to give emergency care to the victims.

Givenh the reality of the high frequency of serious traffic accidents, Higuey, the largest city in the eastern region, now has a trauma hospital. The center seeks to make available emergency medical response to the general population. Most of the traffic accidents are caused by imprudent driving, and in 80% of the cases, motorcyclists are involved. The governments over the years have been negligent in obliging motorcyclists to comply with traffic rules.

Emergency services at the new Higuey trauma hospital, nevertheless, will not be available until October 2025, when the hospital will be fully operational. Medical consultations will start first on 18 August...

The Abinader administration’s Transportation Cabinet has decreed the start of the Third Phase of the No-Left-Turn program aimed at reducing traffic jams in the Greater Santo Domingo area. All this is a part pf the “DR gets Moving” initiative.

Over the weekend, signs were up indicating no left turns on such major streets as Abraham Lincoln, and Winston Churchill. Maximo Gomez is also part of the new measures.

As usual, the agencies have indicated alternate ways of achieving access to the desired crossroad. This usually entails making right turns into neighborhoods.

In its analysis of the previous measures on Tiradentes and Lope de Vega, the cabinet says that traffic has improved by more than 30%. Take note that this is summertime when the schools are out.

Read more in...

Yulibelys Wandelpool / Diario Libre

Lawyer Yulibelys Wandelpool warns of the amendment in the new Public Procurement and Contracting Law 47-25 that allows uncles and nephews and nieces of key government officials to compete for government contracts.

In her opinion piece in Diario Libre, she writes that the new law is a step forward in the modernizing of the state’s procurement system with the introduction of new tools for traceability, annual planning, and sustainability criteria. Yet she warns that “ a closer review of its provisions reveals a regulatory change that could weaken ethical safeguards in the contracting process: the removal of third-degree blood relatives, such as uncles and nephews, from the list of disqualified individuals.”

This change marks a departure from the now-repealed Law No. 340-06, which did prohibit contracting up to the third degree of...

Over the years, hundreds have demanded Dominican nationality be allowed for “the stateless” migrants from Haiti and their descendants. Dominican legislation does not recognize as Dominicans those born here of parents without legal residence status. Yet, for decades, human rights organizations have placed the onus on the Dominican Republic, ignoring the fact that the problem originates in Haiti itself where much more than half of the population in Haiti does not have legal identity nor is a path being forged for this major violation of human rights situation to change.

This past week, Dominican lawyer Jaime Fernandez Lazala asks the question everyone should be asking? Why does the Haitian state and government make it so costly and difficult for people in Haiti to get a legal identity? This has created a nation of people without papers, without rights.

As anywhere else in the world, he writes that in Haiti, possessing a national identity document is not only a legal right but...

The newly opened Parqueo Plaza Colonial at Calle Arzobispo Meriño corner Avenida Mella is offering up to two hours of free parking for customers who dine at affiliated restaurants and bars in the historic Colonial City. Participating establishments validate parking tickets. Users who exceed this time will be charged a standard fee of RD$100 per additional hour.

“This solution is designed to improve mobility while directly supporting local commerce,” said Ian Rondón, executive vice president of AFI Reservas, the firm managing the investment fund behind the public-private project, as reported in Diario Libre.

The parking facility has been operational since 1 August 2025. It operates 24/7 and has 352 parking spaces, 10 electric vehicle charging stations, public restrooms, a car wash, accessibility ramps, climate-controlled elevators, and round-the-clock security...

FL Technics, a Lithuanian company that specializes in aircraft maintenance, repair and operation (MRO), has announced that it is opening an installation at the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) to service aircraft of different airlines. The new facility will turn PUJ into a major hub as a maintenance base for modern airliners, serving the Airbus 320 and the Boeing 737.

A press release from the company explains that the global aviation industry is facing a critical shortage of qualified aircraft maintenance technicians. This situation represents a unique opportunity for the Dominican Republic, where FL Technics will open the country’s first independent MRO center, creating more than 2,000 specialized jobs, including significant opportunities for young Dominicans.

With a projected global need for more than 400,000 aircraft maintenance...

Three children did what they always did… go out to play in the rain. Only on the fatal Friday afternoon of 1 August 2025, the downpour came with a deadly strike of lightning. The children were playing in a baseball field in the Palavé area of Manoguayabo, Santo Domingo West.

The tragic incident has left the entire community in shock.

Gregory Alejandro Ascencio, a witness, recounted what happened for Diario Libre. He explained that a sudden lightning strike turned a moment of joy into tragedy on that Friday afternoon in the Palavé sector of Manoguayabo, a township in the northwest of Santo Domingo province. Three children were struck while playing in the rain. Two of them died instantly, while a third remains hospitalized.

“I was standing at my window when I saw the lightning bolt hit,” he told Diario Libre, visibly shaken. “One of the boys died on the spot. Another was thrown back by...

The sports press is reporting on the change of uniforms of Dominicans playing in Major League Baseball, as teams tried to either beef up for the playoffs or cut payrolls and wait for the new year.

The Houston Astros acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez in their drive for the World Series. Over in the National League, the Cincinnati Reds brought Miguel Andujar on board to join fellow Dominican Elly de la Cruz, and the Chicago Cubs acquired Willi Castro from the Minnesota Twins.

The San Diego Padres sent the number three prospect in Major League Baseball, Dominican Leodalis De Vries and a couple of others to Oakland in exchange for two pitchers. The Padres also acquired outfielder Ramon Laureano from Baltimore.

The powerful New York Yankees were also very busy, acquiring pitchers from Colorado and Pittsburgh, but the big news came very near the 6 o’clock deadline. The Yankees...

According to the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), the agency has seized more than 18,000 kilograms of illegal drugs so far this year. Of this record total, nearly 9,.000 kilos were marijuana, and another 9,000 kilograms were cocaine. Smaller amounts of other drugs were also seized. According to the reports, April and May were the busiest months with 4.4 metric tons seized in April and 4.3 metric tons seized in May 2025.

Most likely, the large number of tons confiscated is indicative of the larger still volume of drugs smuggled into the area. Because of its central geographic location and its proximity to Haiti, the Dominican Republic is regarded as a transshipment point for traffickers seeking to reach the lucrative markets in the United States and Europe.

Read more in...

Public school enrollment is projected to soar by nearly 30% for the upcoming 2025-2026 academic year, a significant increase largely driven by the new policy lowering the entry age for preschool to three years old, the Ministry of Education reports. President Luis Abinader and Minister of Education Luis Miguel De Camps discussed these advancements during a meeting on Wednesday, 31 July 2025. Classes at public schools start on 25 August.

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Education (Minerd), also saw the formal presentation of Ordinance 02-2025. This critical new measure mandates the explicit integration of Moral, Civic, and Ethical Citizen Education into the national curriculum, reflecting the government’s commitment to foundational values from an early age. The ordinance was adopted during the first extraordinary session of the National Education Council...

After a marathonic session of 14 hours on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, the Chamber of Deputies signed off to the Penal Code at around 3am on Thursday, 31 July with instructions to deposit it in the Senate this morning. Listin Diario reports that deputies voted 159 in favor and four against the bill.

Listin Diario reported that the president of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos said the senators could make new amendments to the bill that then would need to be approved again by the deputies.

At the request of the legislators, President Luis Abinader had extended the legislature through 5 August, the deadline for both houses of Congress to pass the bill.

CDN reports that the president of the Chamber of Deputies did not take lightly that the First Lady Raquel Arbaje and her three daughters had signed a public letter rejecting the bill as passed in a first reading in the...

The Chamber of Deputies voted “yes” to the bill that changes the current commercial and residential rentals legal scheme in the Dominican Republic. The bill was passed on 31 July 2025, after midnight, in the same marathonic round that rendered the Penal Code bill.

Both bills move to the Senate for approval in the extraordinary legislature that runs through 5 August 2025.

Read more in Spanish:

• Noticias SIN

Responding to demand, the Opret, the office that manages the Santo Domingo metro lines and the skylifts, announced new schedules for these mass transport services.

The Santo Domingo Metro as of 31 July 2025 is now open half an hour earlier than previously announced. The earlier 5:30am opening time comes as a blessing for commuters. Long queues form every morning. The service is offered through 10:30pm.

On Saturdays, the Santo Domingo Metro will close earlier at 10pm. And on Sundays, the schedule will be from 6am to 10pm.

The Santo Domingo Metro is also adding more cars to serve the hundreds of thousands who board Greater Santo Domingo’s mass transit service. For RD$20 you can cross the city. There is no better bargain. Prices have not been increased since the service started in 2009, at the start of the third term in the government of former President Leonel Fernandez...

Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra / Ministry of Agrigulture of Guyana

In a significant move set to boost agricultural development and economic diversification, Guyana, the fastest-growing country in Latin America and the Caribbean, is taking steps to partner with the Dominican Republic, the region’s second-fastest-growing economy to develop its cacao and coffee exporting potential. On Tuesday, 29 July 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture of Guyana, signed a landmark agreement with the Dominican Republic to launch large-scale cacao and coffee cultivation in its Region One. This initiative will leverage the Dominican Republic’s extensive experience in these sectors.

Dominican Ambassador Ernesto Torres Pereyra signed the agreement for the Dominican Republic. The press release does not give details on what public and private entities in the Dominican Republic...

Expert negotiator Nelson Espinal Baez writes in Diario Libre about how the Dominican Republic, now that it is the leading tourism destination in the Caribbean, has soft power.

Soft power is described as the ability to co-opt rather than coerce (hard power). It involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction. Soft power uses culture, political values, and foreign policies to enact change. In 2012, Joseph Nye of Harvard University explained that with soft power, “the best propaganda is not propaganda”, further explaining that during the Information Age, “credibility is the scarcest resource.”

Espinal in his recent opinion piece in Diario Libre, explains:

“In 2024, the Dominican Republic welcomed over 11 million tourists and generated more than US$11 billion in foreign exchange earnings. But beyond the money, what truly flowed was an emotional...

A recent investigative report by journalist Alicia Ortega follows up on complaints of two who had fallen prey to irregular practices of automobile dealers in Greater Santo Domingo. If you are planning on buying or selling a used vehicle, take the time to listen to the story.

To avoid being a victim, before handing over your hard-earned cash for a vehicle, ask to talk to the previous owner and find out what is the status of the vehicle with the Tax Agency (DGII). Read all the reviews on the dealer’s Facebook page.

Do not be trusting. Do not share your registration with a dealer, or leave him with your car for selling while your papers for the newly purchased vehicle are processed. Better still, make the transfer yourself to avoid still being liable for accidents when the car has been transacted to another person by the dealer.

Whenever possible, sell your...

The Chinese-owned bargain-priced stores are back in the headlines, this time after the authorities seized thousands of goods that reportedly were fakes of a famous brand school supplies products.

Authorities in Santo Domingo report having confiscated over 3,800 counterfeit school items from a commercial establishment on Duarte Avenue, a bustling commercial hub in the National District where dozens of Chinese merchants in recent years have opened their businesses. The raid targeted a store operated by foreign merchants that was found to be selling fake merchandise emblazoned with the logos of well-known brands.

The operation, spearheaded by the Public Ministry’s Intellectual Property Unit, uncovered 1,275 fake backpacks, 1,275 lunchboxes, and 1,275 pencil cases. The seizure is part of an ongoing investigation into violations of Law No. 20-00 on Industrial Property.

Jonathan Baró...

Alfredo Pacheco / Camara de Diputados

Alfredo Pacheco, the long-standing president of the Chamber of Deputies, is optimistic the Penal Code will be passed in the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday, 30 July 2025.

At the request of the legislators, President Luis Abinader issued Decree 409-25 that has extended the legislature through 5 August 2025 that concluded on 26 July 2025. The next legislature sessions are scheduled for 16 August.

The Chamber of Deputies had created a short special committee of six deputies to present recommendations for amendments to the Penal Code bill as received from the Senate.

The Chamber of Deputies invited the participation of members of the Attorney General Office (Procuraduria General de la República), the National Police and the Public Defendor’s Office (Defensoría Pública). Pacheco said the committee has issued its concluding...

A comprehensive dialogue on the Haitian crisis, spearheaded by the Social and Economic Council (CES), is nearing its conclusion with the final recommendations set to be presented to President Luis Abinader and former Presidents Hipólito Mejía, Leonel Fernández, and Danilo Medina. This crucial step follows weeks of intensive discussions by various stakeholders on the multifaceted implications of the situation in Haiti for the Dominican Republic, according to a CES press release.

Just one week after the conclusion of thematic working groups, the General Coordination Committee for the “Dialogue on the Haitian Crisis and its Implications for the Dominican Republic” met on Tuesday, 29 July 2025, at the CES meeting hall. The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of the dialogue and updating the projected timeline for the final stages.

Attendees included...

The Dominican Republic is experiencing an unprecedented surge in investment in its energy sector, attracting substantial foreign and local capital, particularly in renewable energies. A staggering 24 new power generation plants or parks are currently under construction across the nation, representing a major investment of US$3.38 billion, Diario Libre reports.

From 2022 to 2024, the energy sector emerged as the second-largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the Dominican economy, trailing only tourism. However, in the first quarter of 2025, the energy sector remarkably surpassed tourism, claiming the top spot as the primary generator of FDI for the country.

This influx of foreign investment has propelled the construction of these 24 new facilities, which boast a combined concessioned capacity of nearly 2,300 megawatts. While foreign capital accounts...

The director of the Dominican Civil Aviation Institute (IDAC), Igor Rodríguez announced that the Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) doppler radar will be fully installed in the next two months, as reported in Diario Libre. This radar will complete the weather surveillance system of the country. At present, there are radars in the Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) to the east and at the Gregorio Luperón International Airport (POP) in Puerto Plata on the north coast. The Las Americas Airport radar will cover the south and southwest of the country.

Rodriguez said that the Las Americas radar will have a certified reach of 250 km and a solid state reach of 400 km.

Rodriguez said that a primary-secondary radar will also soon be installed in Santiago to enhance the coverage of the northern region.

The weather radars enable more precise weather forecasts for the...

The Dominican Republic’s Puntos GOB initiative, designed to centralize and simplify access to government services, has proven to be a resounding success, serving over 550,000 Dominicans between January and mid-July 2025, El Dia reports. These convenient, one-stop centers have revolutionized how citizens interact with the state, saving them time, money, and stress.

The present Puntos GOB are located at:Greater Santo DomingoOccidental Mall (Av. Prolongacion 27 de Febrero)Sambill Mall (Av. John F. Kennedy)Megacentro (Av. San Vicente de Paul)GOB Expreso (Marginal Expreso Las Americas)

SantiagoAv. Salvador Estrella SadhalaColina Centro (Av. Jacobo Majluta)

San CristobalCalle Privada almost corner Carretera Sanchez

There are plans to open next in Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.

The Puntos GOB were created by the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC)...

The controversial path of the Santiago monorail is heading for a crucial legal decision next month, as a judge is set to rule on a citizen-led lawsuit alleging the project has deviated from its original design, threatening neighborhoods and vital green spaces, as reported in El Caribe.

Judge Alicia Mabel Guzmán Bencosme, president of the Civil and Commercial Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Santiago, has scheduled Wednesday, 6 August 2025 as the date to announce her decision on a writ of amparo filed by local residents and community organizations. These groups contend that the altered route of the monorail infringes upon protected areas and violates initial permits.

At the heart of the legal challenge are concerns about the project’s impact on the Los Burgos stream, a natural area that locals fear will be significantly harmed by the new monorail structures. The...

Community and business leaders in San Juan de la Maguana province are calling on the government to ensure the environmental impact study for the proposed Romero mining project is overseen by national and international scientific and academic organizations. Their goal is to guarantee the study’s credibility and transparency, N Digital reports.

The public’s concern escalated after the Ministry of Environment recently approved the Terms of Reference (TDR) for the study, which will determine the environmental viability of the underground mine. The Romero project aims to extract a copper concentrate containing gold and silver.

Provincial representatives emphasized the critical need to include the Academy of Sciences, the Environmental Commission of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), international organizations, and the San Juan de la Maguana community...

Jean Andrés Pumarol / CDN

Contrary to claims made by the defense, 30-year old Jean Andrés Pumarol Fernández, accused of a violent attack on neighbors in the Naco sector of the National District, will not be housed in a psychiatric ward at the Anamuya prison in La Altagracia province, as reported in CDN. The General Penitentiary and Correctional Services Agency (DGSPC) has directly refuted assertions that the Anamuya facility possesses a specialized mental health unit. During the attack, a 70-year old woman was killed, and four other persons are injured, including his own father.

Richard Martínez, Pumarol’s lawyer, had stated his client was sent to Anamuya because, he alleged, it had a specialized unit for mentally ill patients. Martínez argued that this precautionary measure indirectly acknowledged the paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis his defense team presented for Pumarol...

The National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) revealed a relentless 12-hour pursuit took place across the high seas and culminated in the dramatic capture of a “Go Fast” vessel carrying over 1.5 tons of cocaine, leading to the arrest of three Dominicans and one Colombian national, as reported in Diario Libre. The bust, a significant victory in the fight against drug trafficking, unfolded off the remote southwestern coast of the Dominican Republic.

As reported, the operation was set in motion when intelligence units detected a high-speed “Go Fast” boat, approximately 35 feet long and powered by two 250-horsepower outboard engines, heading towards Dominican territory. The vessel, lacking any visible identification, was observed maintaining a steady course near Cabo Falso, a notoriously remote and rugged point off the western coast of the Pedernales province.

As reported, with...

Wilfredo José Burgos Matos, a professor of Latin American and Latino Studies at Lehman College (CUNY), writes for The Conversation about how bachata has gone in just decades from being a grassroots underground dance in the Dominican Republic to becoming a worldwide phenomenon.

He mentions that even a Bee Gees song got a bachata spin when Prince Roy converted the 1977 hit “How Deep Is Your Love” and the single has topped the Latin music charts this summer. He said this “proves bachata is no longer chasing the mainstream but reimagining the pop canon.”

Burgos Matos tells the story of how bachata, with its distinctive guitar melodies and poignant lyrics, is captivating millions and solidifying its place as a truly global cultural export.

Read...