DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic
DR1.com is the leading English news source in the Dominican Republic for over 30 years.
Showing articles from the past 7 days. To read past articles, visit our DR1.com Daily News Forum.
Click here for DR1 Travel News
Travel has been down in February and March after record setting months in 2023 and 2024. Analysts observe this is because the vacations that were not had in 2020, 2021 and 2022 were had in 2023 and 2024. Another reason cited is that this year, Easter Week happened in April, not March. Travel to the DR in February and March for the first time did not set new records.
The same is happening in the United States. Analysts in the United States are concerned of the impact of new restrictions, trade wars and war in general can have on the tourism industry. What happens in the United States is of concern to the US because of the close trade, tourism, remittances and foreign investment relationships.
Analysts are pointing to the uncertainties caused by the continuing wars and the disruptions in the economy delivered during the first months of the Trump administration, impacting both travel from the United States and Canada. The overall conclusion, nevertheless, is that US inbound...
Monday, 5 May 2025 will be a holiday in the Dominican Republic. It commemorates Labor Day that actually falls on Thursday, 1 May but the holiday will be moved to the following Monday. The change of the Labor Day off-time creates a long weekend.
Take special care to avoid traveling at times when people may be headed for vacations out of the cities.
The long weekend is also a good time for shopping and enjoying the cities because of the reduced traffic congestion.
Read More:
The Ministry of Tourism reports on the success of the promotional presentations in Houston, Texas at the Marriott Marquis Downtown on 22 April 2025 and Chicago, Illinois at The Palmer House on 26 April 2025 to promote Dominican tourism. The Ministry reports over 700 travel agents and tour operators participated in the roadshows held to boost visitor numbers to the country.
“Our efforts to ensure that more tourists continue choosing our beautiful country as their favorite vacation destination are unwavering,” Minister Collado told the packed audience of travel professionals during his presentation in Houston. “That’s why we’re here with all of you.”
The Houston event drew over 450 agents and operators, strengthening the Dominican Republic’s presence in a city crucial to Dominican tourism. In 2024, nearly 156,000 tourists arrived in the country from Texas via air travel. There are now direct air connections.
Minister Collado also visited Chicago as part of his US...
The Ministry of Tourism and the National Hotel & Tourism Association (Asonahores) are hosting the Dominican Annual Travel Exchange (DATE) this 14 to 16 May 2025 in Punta Cana. This is the premier event for booking Dominican tourism vacations and complementary services and products. The event will take place at the Barcelo Bavaro Convention Center, centrally located in Punta Cana, La Altagracia.
Business meetings are set up through an online platform and Asonahores reports that appointments in 2024 were 8,398, up 88% compared to the previous year.
In 2024, the event hosted 500 supplier delegates and 340 buyers, marking a historic milestone. Participants include regional associations of tourism companies, national and international hotel chains operating in the country, golf courses, destination management companies, tourism destinations, excursion companies, hotels, airlines, tourism projects, car rental companies, resorts, national and international tour operators, among...
External factors expected to impact global tourism, DR continues to benefit from vigorous US travelFor the first time since the recovery of the tourism industry in 2023, travel is down in the Dominican Republic. Analysts observe this is because the vacations that were not had in 2020, 2021 and 2022 were had in 2023 and 2024. Travel to the DR in February and March for the first time did not set new records. The same is happening in the United States.
Analysts point to the uncertainties caused by the continuing wars and the disruptions in the economy delivered during the first months of the Trump administration, impacting both travel from the United States and Canada. The overall conclusion, nevertheless, is that US inbound travel is down, and US outbound travel continues strong.
The US has also seen a drop in its own inbound travel of 11.6% in March compared to 2024. The National Tour Association, American Bus Association and Student & Youth Travel Association released a...
During his address as keynote speaker at the American Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, Energy and Mines Minister Joel Santos Echavarría presented a strategic overview of the country’s energy, mining, and hydrocarbon sectors, highlighting these as drivers of sustainable development.
Among his key points, he said that electrical transmission infrastructure will be upgraded with US$450 million in planned investments. He also mentioned that the government is investing US$200 million annually in distribution networks that seek to reduce energy losses, improve service quality, and universalize electricity access. An estimated 64,000 households are currently connected to the power grid.
He spoke proudly of the country’s expanding and diversifying energy matrix. He said by 2028, there will be a 54% increase in installed thermal capacity supplying the National Interconnected Electrical System (SENI). Over 2,100 MW of new thermal power plants are under development for 2025-2028...
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Relations has confirmed the official meetings of Sergey Lavrov to Santo Domingo on Wednesday, 30 April 2025. He is scheduled to meet with President Luis Abinader and Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez. During his visit, he will inaugurate the Russian Embassy in the capital city.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Relations says the visit marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing:
“During the talks with the Dominican partners, the prospects for developing bilateral cooperation, including enhancing political dialogue, increasing cooperation in trade, economic, investment, tourism, cultural, and humanitarian fields, and, of course, strengthening the legal framework are expected to be discussed. The parties plan to consider...
The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) has issued a warning about regulatory backsliding and institutional tensions that are undermining press freedom in the Dominican Republic, according to its latest mid-year report.
The regional body highlighted the persistence of legal uncertainties, the lack of progress in modernizing the legal framework governing communication, and the emergence of legislative proposals that could restrict independent journalism.
Diario Libre reports on the critical points of concern cited by the regional press entity. These are:• Outdated media law reform: A critical issue is the proposed reform of Law 6132 on Expression and Dissemination of Thought, which has been in effect since 1962. Although a draft bill was prepared by a special commission two years ago, it remains under review by the Legal Counsel of the Executive Branch. In March, President Luis...
In a significant diplomatic encounter, US President Donald Trump and Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader met in person for the first time at the Vatican See, during the funeral ceremonies of Pope Francisco. This meeting underscores the importance of bilateral relations between the two nations and marks a new chapter in their political dialogue. The conversation was witnessed by First Lady Raquel Arbaje.
The Dominican Republic is preparing to host the 10th US-sponsored Summit of the Americas. The event is scheduled to take place in Punta Cana yet the US Department of State has not confirmed the agenda or dates.
President Abinader’s attendance at the papal funeral provided the occasion for this unprecedented gathering. The Presidency of the Dominican Republic reported that the leaders seized the opportunity to comment on topics of mutual interest...
During the spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG), the agency presented the Regional Economic Outlook for the Western Hemisphere, and it showed the Dominican Republic in a glowing light. For 2025, the IMF says that the country will see a 4 to 4.5% increase in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and this is only behind the 5.5% of Argentina.
However, for 2026, the world’s monetary watchdog says that the Dominican’s forecast 4.8% will be above Argentina’s 4.5%, giving the DR the highest forecast for the entire Western Hemisphere. The forecast for 2026 for the Central American region is Costa Rica 3.4%, El Salvador 2.5%, Guatemala 3.8%, Honduras 3.4%, Nicaragua 3.2%, Panama 4.0% and the DR 4.8%.
According to the IMF, the regional GDP growth will be just 2.0% a slight decline from 2024 when the GDP growth was set at 2.4%, mainly...
The world continues to pressure the Dominican Republic to unilaterally take on more of the heavy burden of the multidimensional crisis in Haiti. Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez recently stated at the National Security Council the complicity of the elite in Haiti that operate two private ports in Haiti and how the gangs are better fit with modern weaponry than the Haitian police. The weapons are known to come from the United States.
Left alone to deal with the turmoil in Haiti, last week, the Dominican government stepped up measures to reduce the Haitian migratory pressure. The government sent more soldiers to the border.
At the same time, the government sent another message to discourage Haitians from the free use of medical services in the Dominican Republic. For the first time in decades, the government began to restrict the free medical services offered...
Inspired by the Taimascaros carnival group in Puerto Plata, the typical costume to be worn by Miss World Dominicana, Mayra Delgado, at the competition in Telangana, India this coming 31 May 2025, is sure to draw a lot of attention. Based on Taino and African cultural roots, the outfit is called “Golden Roots” by the designer, Puerto Plata native Yanco Souffront. The costume gives due homage to the Dominican mixed heritage of native Indian, European and African culture.
Mariasela Alvarez, the Dominican Republic’s first and only Miss World (1982) interviewed Mayra Delgado on her Esta Noche con Mariasela variety show and presented photos of the outstanding costume for the 2025 event to be held in India. The 23-year old Delgado has a modeling agency, is a reporter for Univision, and is carrying out a business management at the Tecnologico de Monterrey. She is a community leader and directs ONGs to support and breast cancer prevention groups.
Mayra Delgado told Alvarez she sees...
The National Transport and Transit Agency (Intrant) has announced a tender process is underway to find a company to manage the full service of issuing new driver’s licenses in the Dominican Republic. The current contract with DeKolor is said to expire in 2025, yet a Diario Libre editorial speculates that it is unlikely the Jose Angel (Jochi) Gomez-owned company will lose the contract. Gomez, who was accused of being a terrorist by incumbent Intrant director Milton Morrison when traffic lights were disconnected from the platform, recently appeared on Somos Pueblo YouTube channel where he extolled irregularities in government.
Diario Libre had reported on 24 April 2025 that the contract for RD$8.17 billion encompasses a package of digital licensing, simulators, vehicles and biometric security.
Intrant emphasizes that the Dominican government will not invest any public...
The Attorney General’s Office (PGR) has issued new instructions prioritizing the investigation of migrant trafficking rings, particularly those involving public officials and security forces.
The “General Instructions for Investigations into Illicit Trafficking in Migrants,” released on April 25th, come alongside the creation of a specialized unit dedicated to investigating migrant trafficking and related crimes. This unit, the Unit for Investigating Illicit Trafficking in Migrants and Related Offenses (UITIMC), was established by the Superior Council of the Public Ministry at the suggestion of the Executive Branch.
The instructions explicitly direct prosecutors nationwide to prioritize cases where there is intelligence or evidence suggesting the involvement of public officials, police officers, or military personnel in migrant trafficking structures. This includes...
A shadow of doubt is cast over the new Chamber of Accounts member, Francisco Franco. Diario Libre reports that the lawyer was selected despite having been immersed in a conflict of interest legal battle over state-funded contract to defend former officials accused of corruption.
Diario Libre explains that the cloud of controversy surrounding the new member of the Dominican Republic’s Chamber of Accounts, Francisco Franco dates back to a previous Chamber of Accounts membership.
Diario Libre reports that Francisco Franco Soto was sworn in as a member of the Chamber of Accounts by the Senate last week despite the ongoing legal battle regarding a contract he had signed to defend former Chamber president Hugo Francisco Álvarez Pérez (2017-2021) and two other members accused of “doctoring audits.”
The legal services to defend Álvarez Pérez, Félix Álvarez Rivera, and...
The agents from the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD) seized 993 packs of what is presumed to be raw cocaine late last week. The raid came after intelligence sources pinpointed a motor launch moored at the Ocean 21 Marina in Cap Cana. A search was carried out and drugs were found in the bow and under the bench on the boat bridge. The inspection also seized cash in pesos and dollars, a satellite telephone, a Glock .40 cal., several cell phones, and a Honda Accord. Two Puerto Ricans and a Dominican were arrested. The alleged criminals were found at a vllla in Cap Cana.
According to the DNCD, these alleged criminals have ties to the international drug trafficking organization headed by Serbian Nikola Boros, a.k.a. Antun Mrdeza, who is being sought by Interpol after escaping from Colombian custody in an operation that included armed rebels. Boros is...
The Presidency has established a new entity to provide comprehensive support to families affected by the tragic roof collapse at the JetSet nightclub in the early hours of 8 April 2025. This initiative introduces a socio-family intervention protocol led by Supérate, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health, the Cabinet for Childhood and Adolescence (GANA), the National Council for Childhood and Adolescence (Conani), and the Single Beneficiary System (Siuben).
A survey conducted by the commission identified primary needs among the affected families, including psychological and economic assistance, caregiving personnel, official guardianship for minors, legal representation, and counseling. Many families have also requested financial support for older adults, individuals with disabilities, minors, and mothers who were dependent on the fatal...
The Dominican legal system is notably slow and many times inhumane, concludes Nuria Piera after interviewing several legal experts for their opinion on the 232 deaths and numerous injured persons impacted by the collapse of the roof of the popular nightclub, JetSet Club on 8 April 2025. Piera looks into the possible consequences ahead for what is described as “the tragedy of the century” in the Dominican Republic.
Follow the story: N Digital Nuria Investigacion AP News The New York Times
28 April 2025
In crisis management silence is not golden – it usually makes things worse. The manager of JetSet Club, Antonio Espaillat took 15 days to release answers to questions regarding the tragedy that happened when the roof of the nightclub collapsed killing 232 persons, included customers, staff and performers.
At the time of the collapse of the roof of the nightclub during the Rubby Perez merengue concert, Espaillat was in Las Vegas, Nevada attending a radio and TV innovations expo. Espaillat is said to own at least 50% of the radio stations in the country. He is also the owner of the Jalao nightclub in the Colonial City. He is also the owner of the Jalao and Jet Set Lounge in Manhattan, all businesses that have not reopened after the tragedy of 8 April 2025.
Espaillat would return from Las Vegas to Santo Domingo arriving on 8 April in the afternoon. He...
Emma Polanco, sworn in Wednesday, 23 April 2025, as the new president of the Dominican Republic’s Chamber of Accounts, has promised a “transparent and responsible” administration, seeking to restore public trust in the embattled oversight body. The Chamber of Accounts is tasked with auditing government institutions.
Polanco, a certified accountant and educator, assumed leadership for the 2025-2029 term. She vows to tackle the “difficult task” of rehabilitating the Chamber of Account’s reputation. The administration of her predecessor, Janel Ramírez, was marked by major differences between the audit members that did not enable the progress of objectives set when they were appointed.
To demonstrate her commitment to transparency, Polanco announced she would hire an external firm to audit her own management during her time as rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo...
The president of the Dominican Institute of Telecommunications (Indotel), Guido Gómez Mazara, accused some internet service providers on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, of cheating consumers by delivering less than promised.
Gómez Mazara, speaking on the radio program El Despertador, stated that “the famous little packages sold to people deceive them,” citing a recent study conducted jointly with the National Statistics Office (ONE).
He identified combating these scams as one of the primary challenges facing Indotel, the regulatory body for these services. “They sell a product at a certain price, but it doesn’t match what they deliver,” he said. “With Indotel’s new resolutions, we are forcing companies to increase service quality.”
He explained that Indotel has issued specific regulations “to protect consumers and ensure they receive what they pay for.”
Gómez Mazara...
A new report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) reveals that an estimated 85% of children in the Dominican Republic have completed their vaccination schedules, Diario Libre reports. The data underscores the progress made in the country’s immunization efforts.
As part of World Immunization Week, celebrated this year under the theme “A Dose of Good News,” Unicef has launched a global campaign to emphasize the transformative power of vaccines in saving lives, amidst growing misinformation, polarization, and declining health funding. The campaign, which runs from April 23rd to 30th, involves over 40 countries and territories in the Americas.
“The national goal is to achieve a 95% coverage rate for all recommended childhood vaccines according to the Sustainable Development Goals,” Unicef stated in a press release. This initiative, led by international organizations...
In a strong reiteration of his stance, President Luis Abinader asserted on Wednesday, 23 April 2025, that the country has shouldered an excessive burden related to Haiti and insisted that the international community is obligated to step up its response to the crisis afflicting the poorest country in the Americas.
Abinader made these remarks while presiding over a meeting where municipal institutions signed an agreement supporting the government’s measures to curb irregular migration from Haiti.
President Abinader signed the agreement with mayors from all around the country, and representatives of the Migration Agency (DGM), the Dominican Municipal League (LMD), the Dominican Federation of Municipalities (Fedomu) and the Dominican Federation of Municipal Districts (Fedodim). The municipal representatives agree to back the...
135 were deported on the first day of a switch from the practice of offering free medical services to all needy Haitian migrants. The government is now limiting free medical services at public hospitals to undocumented foreigners.
Gangs control Port-au-Prince and there is a practical collapse of medical services in that country, putting the burden on the Dominican public health system. For years, the pace of Haitians seeking free medical services in the Dominican Republic has been increasing. The world seems to be asking the DR to provide medical services for the more than 10 million Haitians.
The Migration Agency announced the deportation of 135 undocumented Haitians seeking medical services on the first day of the implementation of measures to curb the increasing Haitian demand for public health system services in the DR. Amnesty International...
The Dominican Republic and the United States held high-level talks in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, 22 April 2025 to address the recently announced global tariff policy by the US government. Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez, Minister of Industry & Commerce Víctor (Ito) Bisonó, and Minister of Hacienda José Manuel Vicente met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and with Sam Mulopulos, chief of staff of the Office of the US Trade Representative; Daniel Watson, Deputy Trade Representative for the Western Hemisphere; and Andrea Malito, senior director for DR-CAFTA.
The Dominican trio had traveled to Washington after the US government announced tariffs would apply to Dominican exports that previously entered duty-free under the DR-CAFTA trade agreement. The tariffs are having a major impact on the cost of free zone exports that have always entered tax free to the United States.
The Dominican Presidency issued a note describing the meeting as positive...
President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje with Pope Francisco / Z101 Digital
President Luis Abinader and First Lady Raquel Arbaje will travel to Rome this Friday, 25 April 2025 to attend the funeral mass of His Holiness Pope Francisco. The mass is scheduled for Saturday, 26 April at 10:00am local time in St. Peter’s Square.
The presidential couple is scheduled to return on Sunday.
The Vatican has confirmed that official delegations sent by governments can participate in the ceremony, with a limit of five members per delegation if led by a head of state or government.
Among the presidents from the Americas confirming they will attend the funeral are Donald Trump for the United States, Javier Milei of Argentina and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil.
Read more in...
The PRM majority Senate chose Emma Polanco Melo to be the next president of the Chamber of Accounts, the government entity tasked with auditing government. Francisco Tamárez Florentino was chosen as the vice president. The appointments were approved by 23 out of 26 senators present at the regular session on 22 April 2025.
Joining Polanco and Florentino as members of the chamber will be Francisco Alberto Franco Soto, Ramón Méndez Acosta, and Griselda Gómez Santana. The decision came after the report presented by Senator Guillermo Lama, who chaired the committee reviewing the nominees sent by the Chamber of Deputies. The representative of the Fuerza del Pueblo issued a dissenting report arguing that the choice lacked genuine consensus and had been imposed by the majority.
An accountant and academician, Polanco Melo is the former rector of the State University of...
Fernando Henríquez / Hoy
Fernando P. Henríquez is the new general coordinator of the legal team representing the Dominican state in actions and agreements for compensation and restitution of misappropriated assets, funds, and securities. He was appointed to head the Public Patrimony Recovery Team (ERPP) by Decree 217-25. He had been serving since 2021 as co-coordinator of the ERPP.
The decree also confirmed Manuel Conde Cabrera and Rafael Rivas Solano as coordinators of the team.
The appointment follows the resignation last week of attorney Jorge Luis Polanco as head coordinator of the ERPP. Polanco stepped down to represent legally Antonio Espaillat in connection with the tragic collapse of the Jet Set nightclub roof, which claimed 232 lives and injured hundreds more.
Fernando Henriquez is the brother of Paino Henriquez who was named Minister of Environment in August 2024...
In a coordinated effort to enforce immigration laws and retake private property, the Migration Agency (DGM), backed by state institutions, conducted a large-scale operation in the Mata Mosquito community near Friusa, Bávaro. The intervention resulted in the arrest of over 500 undocumented individuals and the demolition of precarious dwellings, the Migration Agency reports.
The operation, focused on identifying and removing unauthorized occupants from privately-owned land, specifically targeted individuals with irregular immigration status. Authorities confirmed that the majority of those detained were Haitian nationals lacking the necessary legal documentation to reside in the country.
Those apprehended were transferred to the Haina detention center for verification and subsequent repatriation, in accordance with the country’s General Migration Law 285-04.
The joint...
Franklin Guerrero / N Digital
N Digital journalist Franklin Guerrero asked President Luis Abinader on Monday, 21 April 2025 the question thousands of Dominicans must have when watching all the videos the Migration Agency uploads showing how they red-handed catch many Haitian smugglers. Guerrero said that it is evident lots of the same people are being caught again and again smuggling more Haitians.
The Haitians caught attempting to enter illegally are just deported. They use the “revolving door” as Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez has called the ease of returning to the Dominican Republic after being deported. The government is aware of the networks that operate to smuggle the Haitians, but seemingly if and when these cases go to the judiciary, the smugglers are let off paying a fine that does not discourage their operations.
Almost every week, or several times a week...
Héctor Herrera and Eliezer Jiménez / El Nuevo Diario
The president of the Dominican Emergency Medicine Society, Dr. Eliezer Jimenez Puello urges the government to regularly inspect closed public spaces where large numbers of people congregate for safety issues. He also said the lack of government supervision needs to be a matter of the past.
Interviewed by Hector Herrera Cabral of D’Agenda, Dr. Jimenez Puello said that the construction and operation of venues have become a matter of public health. He said it does not matter where they are private or public because the structural failures will have repercussions in the public health system and this is why the state has to get its act together.
“It is not only the traffic problems and the motorcyclists, but also the structures,” he said. He said that accidents happen, but this is usually because of human...
From 4 to 6 May 2025 more than 200 high-level legal experts from around the world are expected for the World Law Congress Dominican Republic 2025 organized by the World Law Foundation. The event will open at the Aula Magna of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. The main day for panels will be 5 May, in which +40 panels will take place simultaneously at Universidad del Caribe (Unicaribe) on the Malecon.
During the closing ceremony on 6 May, the World Peace & Liberty Award will be bestowed at the Aula Magna of the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo. Previous awardees include Sir Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, René Cassin, Felipe Vi of Spain, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the People of Colombia in the hands of Ivan Duque, US civil rights leader Andrew Young II, and the European Commission in the hands of president Ursula von der Leyen.
Tickets are available online to this event...
Juan Soto / Diario Libre
The first round of the World Baseball Classic, the leading global baseball tournament, is scheduled to be held from 5 to 17 March 2026. The winners of the top two positions in each of the four groups of four teams move on to phase two.
Dominican Republic is in Group D, playing against Venezuela, Netherlands, Israel and Nicaragua at the Miami Marlins’ stadium, the loanDepot Park in Miami, Florida.
Albert Pujols, who won the Caribbean Series and the Dominican Professional Winter League tournaments in 2025, is the manager of the Dominican team. Nelson Cruz is the team’s general manager.
The DR will play Nicaragua on 6 March, then the Netherlands on 8 March, Israel on 9 March and Venezuela on 11 March.
The top two winning teams from Group D will face the top two winning teams from Group C that is made up of Japan, Australia...
Despite a larger deployment of volunteers for the “Conciencia por la Vida” (Awareness for Life) operation during the Easter Week break, the number of fatalities did not decrease. Instead, the death toll rose from 27 in 2024 to 32 in 2025, leaving a trail of lost lives and shattered dreams.
Motorcyclists topped the list of fatalities, followed by deaths due to alcohol and food poisoning, and drownings.
The holiday period claimed the lives of 32 individuals, during an operation involving 49,997 members of the Center for Emergency Operations (COE).
Of the total fatalities, 26 were the result of traffic accidents involving motorcycles. The remaining deaths included one pedestrian struck by a vehicle, three involving light vehicles, and two drownings.
This year’s figures represent an increase of five deaths compared to the previous year’s Easter Week, which...
A Dominican mission made up by Minister of Industry and Commerce Victor (Ito) Bisono, Minister of Hacienda Jose Manuel (Jochi) Vicente and Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Alvarez is in Washington, D.C. for high-level meetings on Dominican and United States relations, especially with officials of the US Trade Representatives Office. The negotiators seek to remove the 10% tariff, the Trump administration has levied on all Dominican imports to the United States, including free zone imports as of 5 April 2025. The Dominican Republic is a signatory of the DR-CAFTA free trade agreement.
Speaking on the issue during the 21 April 2025 press conference, President Luis Abinader said that the 10% tariff should be removed given that it is a tariff levied to ensure trade reciprocity. The United States has an enormous trade surplus with the Dominican Republic. “If...
President Luis Abinader issued Decree 216-25, instating three days of mourning (22, 23 and 24 April 2025) for Pope Francisco. The Pope died on Monday, 21 April 2025 in the Vatican City.
His last act as head of the Catholic Church was to appear on Easter Sunday on the balcony of St Peter’s Square, waving at thousands of worshippers after weeks in the hospital recovering from double pneumonia.
Less than a year ago, President Abinader, after winning his second term in office on 16 May 2024, traveled with First Lady Raquel Arbaje and his three daughters Esther, Graciela and Adriana, to Rome and the Vatican for an official visit with the Pope on 27 May 2025. He fondly recalls speaking with the Pope for about 45 minutes and recalls the Pope as a person of much humor. He says they spoke of the DR in general, the church in the DR, geopolitics, global leaders and...
Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez speaking for his 15th time in four years at the United Nations National Security Council spoke this time of the gruesome 378 registered cases of sexual rape in Port-au-Prince, with lives destroyed and people terrorized. “The international community needs to respond to this humanitarian emergency,” he pleaded once more.
“Are we perhaps waiting for the governing body to be displaced by uncontrollable movements that force us to negotiate with criminal groups? This is the decisive moment for coordinated action and shared responsibility. It is crucial for the restoration of peace and sustainable development in Haiti,” said Alvarez.
He once again stressed the seriousness of the threats for the Dominican Republic, the only country that shares a land border with Haiti. “Recently, we declared terrorists the Haitian criminal groups that are becoming...
President Luis Abinader dedicated his 21 April press conference to share details on the advances of the 15 points the government is focusing on to curtail the flow of Haitian migration to the Dominican Republic. Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez has said that while the government spends billions in protecting the border and deporting Haitians, the border is a revolving door, with Haitians being deported and promptly returning to the country.
15th time at the Security Council in 4.5 years. All my appearances have been to instar a este organo a tomar medidas de lugar ante multidimensional crisis in Haiti. The human drama is identified among 15 conflicts in the world in 2025. The brutal of the gangs we cannot ….
Among the 15 measures are amendments to the Migration Law to curb Haitian migration, and people and contraband goods smuggling.
The presentation...
The president of the National Drug Control Agency (DNCD), Vice Admiral Jose Manuel Cabrera Ulloa clarified that in the case of National District alderman Edickson Herrera Silvestre there is yet only a capture or arrest order issued by a Florida court. This is only effective in the United States. Herrera Silvestre does not face judicial charges in the Dominican Republic where he is an alderman for the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM).
Cabrera Ulloa said the country has not yet received an extradition request from the United States.
The case is heard by the South Florida District Court of the United States dated 5 March 2025 and indicates the indictment dated 5 March 2025 was levied to Edickson Herrera Silvestre (Yeyea or El Regidor) and Jose Eduviges Aponte Torres and William Duran Jerez, accomplices in the alleged international cocaine trafficking network that operated from May 2020 to November 2022 in Miami-Dade, Florida, the DR. If extradited to the United States...
Garrick Higgo / Official Instagram Site
25-year old South African golfer Garrick Higgo won the trophy and cash award for the PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Championship that ended on Sunday, 21 April 2025 in a very windy Punta Cana. He defeated 37-year old Joel Dahmen who had a strong first three rounds but didn’t pull through on the definitive final play.
PGA Tour reported that Dahmen closed with three consecutive bogeys at Corales Golf Course, including a missed par putt from roughly 3 feet at the par-3 17th hole, to finish one shy of winner Garrick Higgo, who made birdie at the par-4 18th on that windswept Sunday in the Dominican Republic. It marked a sudden turn of events for Dahmen, who held a three-stroke lead through 54 holes and closed in 4-over 76, the highest final-round score of the top 37 finishers at Corales GC.
PGA Tour reported that Dahmen was gracious...
The year had started out as usual, with a significant increase in travelers in January 2025. In January 2025, a new record for the month was hit with 1,155,484 visitors, up 53% from the pre-pandemic year of 2019, 22% compared to 2023 and 8% compared to 2024. The numbers also reflected the strong maritime tourism numbers. Air arrivals were 759,929 tourists, with cruise ship tourists reaching a high 395,555.
Yet for the first time in four years, when reviewing the monthly statistics, Tourism Minister was not able to announce another record in travel arrivals. Tourist air arrivals in February 2025 were 588,212, down 9.85% compared to the 652,487 visitors in February 2024.
It is important to take into consideration that 2024 was an out-of-the-ordinary year because, as occurred in 2023, it accumulated the thousands of vacations people who had postponed vacationing in 2020, 2021 and 2022 due...
The 29th annual Hato Mayor/Vicentillo Beach Volleyball Tournament kicked off with an exciting opening match, where Flor Colón and her team, Las Populares del Banco de Reservas, defeated former captain of the Reinas del Caribe (the national senior women’s volleyball team) Prisilla Rivera and the Olímpicas, led by Cosiris Rodríguez. The final score was 21-13, with Colón’s experience on the sand outshining Rivera’s expertise on the hard court, a tournament press release explains.
They competed in the Hato Mayor tournament that offered more than RD$3 million in prizes at the Rancho Turístico Doña Callita. The opening ceremony featured Leo Corporán, sports editor of El Nacional, who performed the honorary serve to kick off the competition, which is dedicated to his legacy.
This year’s tournament includes competitions in the open, men’s, women’s, and regional...
Starting 18 June 2025, travelers will be able to fly nonstop from Santo Domingo to Bonaire. This weekly seasonal service will operate every Wednesday from La Isabela International Airport (JBQ) in northern Santo Domingo to Flamingo International Airport (BON) in Bonaire.
The airline will utilize CRJ-200 aircraft with a capacity of 50 passengers for this route. One-way fares start at US$199.
The new route facilitates travel for tourists as well as individuals visiting family and friends on the Dutch Caribbean island and strengthens regional connectivity in the Caribbean.
Read More:
To read past articles, visit our DR1.com Daily News Forum.