DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Dominican Catholic Church delivered its usual poignant and introspective Sermon of the Seven Words (Sermón de las Siete Palabras) on Good Friday, 3 April 2026, at the Catedral Primada de América in the Colonial City. Listín Diario reported that this year’s oratory marked a distinct shift from the confrontational social activism of 2025, pivoting toward spiritual self-criticism, a crisis of empathy, and the erosion of traditional family values.

While the Church maintained its role as a social watchdog, the 2026 sermons prioritized internal reflection and the moral fiber of the nation over specific legislative or industrial disputes.

Key highlights from the Seven Sermons:• First Word (“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”): Reverend Francisco Benito Alvarado Herrera offered a rare and public act of ecclesiastical self-criticism. He asked for...

President Luis Abinader announced a comprehensive reinforcement of security across the Dominican border on the evening of 6 April 2026, following an emergency meeting of the National Security and Defense Council at the Ministry of Defense. The move comes as a direct response to the deteriorating security landscape in Haiti, where the High Command of the Haitian Armed Forces has declared “Condition D” that is the highest state of alert, effective as of 6 April 2026.

The presidential directive follows the 1 April 2026 arrival of the first contingent of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF), a UN Security Council-backed mission tasked with stabilizing the neighboring nation. Despite international intervention, violence has surged. Last week, the Haitian National Police reported intense clashes in the Artibonite department, north of Port-au-Prince, following a massacre attributed...

President Luis Abinader has enacted Law No. 13-26, a legislative amendment that practically eliminates independent candidacies for the 2028 general elections. All candidates need to be backed by recognized political organizations – political parties, groupings and movements.

This means that any individual wishing to run for a legislative, municipal, or executive office must be nominated by a legally recognized political organization. These are the only candidacies that can aspire to the generous government funds made available to aspiring candidates.

The law, signed on 26 March 2026, serves as a direct legislative response to recent judicial mandates and structural concerns regarding the Dominican Republic’s electoral framework.

The new statute specifically repeals Articles 156, 157, and 158 of Law 20-23 (Organic Law of Electoral Regime). These previous articles had...

With Rafael Santos now the Minister of Higher Learning, the Institute of Technical Professional Training (Infotep) is boosting computer learning. Santos had directed the Infotep since the start of the Abinader administration in 2020.

The Las Americas Institute of Technology (ITLA) and the Institute of Technical Professional Training (Infotep) now announce new courses to reinforce computer literacy. The technical degrees would be in Computer Science and Intelligent Logistical Technology. The courses would be delivered online and will focus on practicality and results. The courses would integrate areas such as programming, software development, systems analysis, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things (I o T). I o T is a term used to describe the network of physical “things” that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies that collect...

A video of a small whale delighting those commuting on the Santo Domingo Malecon on Thursday, 2 April 2026 with its jumps up into the air as the creature moved in a west-to-east direction. This is a rare appearance or probably a first. Whales are known to travel on the north and northeastern route as they make their way north.

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6 April 2026

Officially, the Easter holiday is only Good Friday. But in recent years, with the government authorizing its public servants to take off from Wednesday, the Easter holidays have become the longest long weekend in the year.

The hope is that no news becomes good news. That people will do all possible to stay safe when traveling with family and friends to beach, inner town and mountain vacation areas. DR1 News joins the spirit of family and friends gathering and religious inspiration and will not be updated on Wednesday, 1 April or Thursday, 2 April. News will be compiled for the Monday, 6 April edition.

Remember that DR1 Forums remain open 24/7 for our readership to post news and comments.

Take care and stay safe.

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...