DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader was in northeastern San Francisco de Macoris on Sunday, 2 November 2025 for the inauguration of the Dr. Ángel María Gatón Regional University Hospital, described as the state-of-the-art medical complex that is now the most complete and advanced regional hospital in the country.

The construction of the hospital generated approximately 5,900 direct jobs, providing a significant boost to the local economy in Duarte province.

The new center, boasting 329 beds (294 for hospitalization and 35 for intensive care) is expected to significantly bolster healthcare services across the entire Northeast region.

The facility replaces the San Vicente de Paúl Public Hospital. The Presidency says the hospital was built to the highest international quality and structural safety standards, featuring seismic damping systems and cutting-edge insulation.

The complex, spanning over 48,000 square meters, includes:

32 consultation rooms

Six operating rooms

Blood...

President Luis Abinader officially opened the Vallejuelo–Batista, Vallejuelo–Río Arriba Sur and Los Arroyos–Sabaneta roads on Saturday, 1 November 2025. The infrastructure projects were executed by the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (Egehid), as part of its corporate social responsibility program. EgeHid is a public-private corporation. The roads are set to impact 18,000 rural residents in the San Juan de la Maguana province.

Egehid Administrator Rafael Salazar said the new roads are a cornerstone of a broader effort to expand necessary infrastructure for the region’s productive development, which is critical for the nation’s water resources, energy supply, and agricultural output.

Salazar noted that the projects are part of the state-owned company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, aimed at bringing tangible solutions and development to communities near hydroelectric complexes. He also revealed that 20 additional Egehid projects are in the final stages...

Arajet announced free repatriation and relief bringing flights for Dominicans impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Arajet offers regular service to Jamaica that is now suspended. Arajet has also announced that passengers booked on flights to and from Jamaica will be able to reschedule their travel at no additional cost for the next 15 days.

The first relief flight was on Saturday, 1 November 2025. A second flight is scheduled for Tuesday, 4 November.

The director of Social Assistance and Community Food (DASAC) of the Dominican government oversaw the Arajet air cargo of 1.5 million food rations, mattresses, sheets, towels, blankets, mosquito nets, and other assistance to Jamaica, the island that bore the brunt of Melissa’s Cat. 5 fury.

The Presidency announced the signing of a humanitarian agreement with the airline. The initiative is part of Abinader administration’s backing of Dominicans in Jamaica and to the Jamaican population in general.

The Dominican Embassy...

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) has lowered its monetary policy rate (MPR) by 25 basis points (bps), dropping the benchmark from 5.50% to 5.25% annually following its October 2025 monetary policy meeting.

The cut comes to stimulate the economy that is now anticipated to close 2025 with a growth of approximately 2.5%, with a projected return to its potential pace of 4.0% to 5.0% in 2026, supported by coordinated monetary and fiscal policies.

The move, aimed at stimulating domestic demand, comes as the Central Bank projects local inflation will remain anchored within its target range of 4.0% ± 1.0% and global financial conditions continue to ease. The permanent liquidity expansion facility (1-day Repos) rate was also reduced from 6.00% to 5.75%, while the overnight remunerated deposit rate was kept unchanged at 4.50%.

The Central Bank explains the decision to cut the MPR reflects an improving, albeit complex, international environment:• United States: The...

Cleary Gottlieb was the US firm that represented the Dominican Republic in its Rule 144A/Reg S offering of US$1.6 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.875% bonds due 2035.

The transaction priced on 22 October 2025, and closed on 28 October 2025.

The offering marked the 27th time the Dominican Republic has tapped the international debt markets. Cleary has represented the sovereign in connection with each offering.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as initial purchasers.

Read More:

• Cleary Gottlieb

After a delay of more than a month, the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) has published the minutes of its evaluation meetings on its official website, detailing the rationale behind the controversial decision, Diario Libre reports. The documents provide a comprehensive look at the process used to assess the performances in the three cases of judges that were not confirmed.

President Luis Abinader used his deciding vote to untie the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) in the cases of Pilar Jimenez Ortiz and Moises Ferrer Landron who sought to be confirmed for a second term. Performance considerations were cited.

There was a vote of six against and two in favor in the case of Manuel Alexis Read Ortiz who had only two years to reach retirement age of 75 years and for this reason was not confirmed for another seven years in the position.

The selection process for 16 of 17 Supreme Court of Justice judges continues. The non-confirmation of these three judges...

Local media reported the arrival of named US ambassador Leah Francis Campos on Thursday, 30 October 2025. Her arrival had been postponed because of the passing of Tropical Storm Melissa.

She has yet to present credentials to Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and then to President Luis Abinader to formally begin her term in the Dominican Republic. Her predecessor is Robin Bernstein, who left at the end of the first Trump administration in January 2020.

Read more in Spanish:

• El Dia
• Hoy

The Dominican Republic’s Public Ministry, through the Public Prosecution Department, has filed formal charges against Isidoro Rotestán Clase, alias “el Men,” and 12 other individuals newly implicated in the international drug trafficking network dismantled last year during the extensive Operation Búfalo NK, the Attorney General Office reports.

The indictment, presented before the Coordinating Office of the Instruction Courts of the National District, signals a significant expansion of the case. It was submitted by Assistant Prosecutor Wilson Camacho, head of the Public Ministry’s Prosecution Department, alongside court prosecutor Hector García Acevedo and prosecutors Miguel Collado, Enmanuel Ramirez, and Jonathan Perez Fulcar.

The initial phase of the investigation saw ten people accused, with nine already convicted after pleading guilty through abbreviated...

Oscar Chalas Guerrero / El Día

In a major development in the sprawling Operation Calamar corruption case, the former director of the Casinos Department at the Ministry of Hacienda, Oscar Chalas Guerrero, has admitted his participation in the alleged criminal structure and detailed its modus operandi before Judge Altagracia Ramírez of the Fourth Court of Instruction of the National District.

Chalas Guerrero, one of the key defendants, confirmed the charges brought by the Public Ministry (MP) during the preliminary hearing.

The admission by Chalas Guerrero is reportedly part of a negotiated plea agreement with the Public Ministry, aiming for a reduction in his potential sentence. The prosecution expects the admission will help move the case forward, potentially strengthening their position against the other high-ranking officials implicated.

During his testimony, Chalas...

Angely Moreno / Hoy

Beyond its veneer of entertainment, Alofoke’s House 2 has transformed into a genuine social experiment where, almost unintentionally, key structural problems of Dominican society are exposed, Angely Moreno writes for Hoy. She explains how each character, with his/her history, educational level, relationship style, and reaction to conflict, represents a fragment of the local reality that Dominicans often ignore, but which is latent in all social spheres of the country.

She writes that Alofoke’s House 2 is not just a reality show: it is a mirror where the deepest challenges of Dominican society are reflected, crudely and unfiltered—alcoholism, violence, gender inequality, the educational gap, and the frustration of a middle class caught between aspiration and the lack of opportunity.

Alcohol: The catalyst for violenceMoreno explains that one of the most evident...

Without doubt, the World Series 2025 game seven reaped viewer peak ratings as Dominicans tuned in to watch. There were two Dominican players on each of the rosters of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, the World Series 2025.

The teams delivered a true championship game and it took the Los Angeles Dodgers 10 innings to reap the trophy with a 5-4 win.

Right fielder Teoscar Hernandez and left fielder Esteury Ruiz will be wearing their 2025 World Series rings. A second time for Hernandez who was with the team in the 2024 win.

There will still be time for first baseman and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr to have another shot at being part of a winning World Series team. Without doubt, he had the hearts of Dominicans, slanted in favor of a Blue Jays win to see when Guerrero would deliver the ring to his father, the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of...

With Tropical Storm Melissa behind us, a Friday, 31 October 2025 Aguilas del Cibao and Tigres del Licey game packed the Quisqueya Ball Park. The Aguilas spoiled the night for the capital city fans when that much-awaited game ended 3-0.

The Aguilas are leading the Professional Winter Baseball Championship followed by the Tigres del Escogido Lions and the Toros del Este, both 3.5 games behind.

The 2025-2026 championship got off to a slow start as intense rains of recent weeks forced several cancellations.

Read more in Spanish:

• El Dia
• Lidom

The Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo was the stage of the first half of the semi-final series between the Cibao FC and O&M FC to decide the finalist for the Caribbean Cup 2025. The game, played intensely, was a 1-1 draw.

The Cibao team, five-time Dominican champion and last year’s runner-up in the Caribbean Cup, scored first on a very good play by Che Trinidad at the 3-minute mark. Further attempts were stymied by the stiff O&M defense. At the 25-minute mark Herard Franzetys recorded a penalty goal for O&M.

The game continued with steady play and no mistakes by either side. However, Leonardo Villalba of Cibao was given a direct red card at the 76-minute mark and Cibao had to play with just 10 men for the last 24 minutes (plus adjusted down tie). The last intense minutes saw O&M with at least two good chances but excellent play by the porter Edwin...

The Dominican Republic will continue on Thursday, 30 October 2025 feeling the sequel of the intense Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 2 storm as it moves to the Bahamas.

Despite its distant track, the remnants of Hurricane Melissa are fueling a weather pattern that will continue to bring significant rain, thunderstorms, and potential flooding to the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 30 October and Friday, 31 October 2025, the Weather Institute (Indomet) reports.

Melissa has been a deadly storm, with reports of at least 20 deaths in Haiti, four in Jamaica and one confirmed in the Dominican Republic in addition to billions in infrastructure and property damages.

Now a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, Hurricane Melissa is located approximately 345 km northeast of the central Bahamas. The system is accelerating...

The rains and outer bands of Tropical Storm Melissa delivered a massive blow to the nation’s economy, with estimated daily losses potentially soaring above RD$17 billion, Diario Libre reports. The economic fallout, fueled by widespread production halts and business closures, is sending shockwaves across consumption, production, and commerce sectors, according to alarming reports from leading economists and business groups.

The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo’s (UASD) Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences calculated a production deficit of more than RD$10 billion per day due to the official suspension of activities for four days – from Wednesday, 23 to 25 October 2025, with the exception of a handfall of provinces on the north coast. Small retailers and businesses are facing a cumulative loss of RD$550 million, as reported by the National Council of Merchants...

The US State Department and US Better Business Bureau (BBB) have issued warnings about scams targeting residents and donors in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Melissa caused billions for flooding, agriculture losses and commercial shutdown in the Dominican Republic. Haiti is reported 25 deaths, and wipe out in Jamaica and Cuba.

The US Better Business Bureau (BBB) alerts scammers often exploit the chaos and emotions surrounding natural disasters to steal money or personal information. It urges people to verify organizations before donating.

It says that common scams to watch for are:Fake charities: Fraudulent websites or social media pages mimicking legitimate disaster relief organizations.

AI-generated scams: Scammers use artificial intelligence to create convincing fake images and videos to solicit donations.

Crowdfunding scams: Unverified campaigns on social...

The Superintendence of Private Watchmen and Security (Superintendencia de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada – SVP) is urgently calling on the National Congress to pass a pending bill that would allow it to impose significant sanctions and fines on private security companies that violate regulations, Diario Libre reports. The call comes as the agency reveals that major irregularities, including the hiring of undocumented Haitian workers and the use of unregistered firearms, are rampant in the sector.

According to José Alberto Hernández Rivera, the deputy director of Operations for the SVP, the agency conducted 454 inspections across the country up to August, uncovering a pattern of illegal activity.

Hernández Rivera, speaking at the XVI International Conference on Security and Defense, detailed several alarming findings...

A recently released audit by the Chamber of Accounts looks into purchases made by the National Health Insurance Company (Senasa) during the second Danilo Medina administration.

During the current Abinader administration, the director of Senasa, Santiago Hazim, recently resigned amidst findings of major corruption within the government health insurance.

The recent audit carried out by the Chamber of Accounts reveals significant irregularities in years back. The Chamber of Accounts has yet to present any findings of auditing into the Hazim administration. The findings for 2017 to 2019 are of irregularities in transactions for over a billion pesos, N Digital reports looking into the details provided by the disclosed audits.

The National Health Insurance (Senasa) is now facing scrutiny after the audit by the Chamber of Accounts (CCRD) flagged improper accounting adjustments totaling...

Public prosecutors of the Attorney General Office have released the findings in the accusations of the investigations into National Transit and Transport Institute (Intrant) operations and these point to widespread institutional weakness and lack of government supervision to impede the major and continuing scams that have impacted the entity.

The prosecutors are looking into the network of companies related to Jose Angel Gomez (Jochi) and reveal that DeKolor (that had the contract for issuing the Dominican driver licenses), Transcore Latam (that had the contract for new traffic lights for Santo Domingo), Aurix and Pago RDXchange generated irregularly sourced resources and these were siphoned off to OML Investments.

The preliminary public prosecution investigations in the case, named Cameleon, look into irregularities after Rafael Arias Ramirez, a high-ranking officer of the...

WhatsApp is pulling the plug on vintage smartphones. This will impact many in the DR.

In the Dominican Republic, it is a general practice that dependants and househelp inherit smartphones when these are changed by the owners. Some smartphones are so good they continue to work for years after the makers remove tech support.

The suspension will hit popular, older lines from major manufacturers, including Samsung, Motorola, LG, Huawei, Sony, and HTC. Users with any of the following models are urged to check their chat backups and plan for an upgrade.

CDN reminds its readers and listeners that Whatsapp, the most used communication via in the country, is withdrawing support on 31 October 2025 through November on cell phones mentioned below. Whatsapp explains this is to prioritize modern security and performance standards.

The measure primarily targets legacy devices—some more than a...

New York Mets slugger and one of Major League Baseball’s highest-paid stars, Juan Soto, made a surprise appearance at the San Felipe Port in Puerto Plata on Monday, 27 October 2025. El Nuevo Diario reports that it wasn’t for a baseball exhibition.

The 25-year-old Dominican-born outfielder was at the port’s Customs Agency to personally handle the paperwork and pay the requisite import taxes for a luxury vehicle shipped from the United States: a high-end, special-edition Mercedes-Benz G 500 (G-Wagon).

The vehicle—a cream-colored, 2026 model year SUV—is a collector’s item. It features a powerful 3,000 CC, six-cylinder turbo engine, automatic transmission, and 4WD Full-Time capability. Significantly, it is part of a special production run with only 450 units ever manufactured. El Nuevo Diario says it has a price tag of US$286,000.

Throughout his 10...

Enjoy the timeless music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by the Santo Domingo Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at 8:30pm. Amaury Sanchez is the orchestra conductor. The Todo Mozart concert will delight audiences with Mozart’s The Magic Flute Overture, Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 23 in A Major, and the Symphony No. 41 Jupiter. The guest soloist is award-winning pianist Antonio Pompa Baldi. The concert will be at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the National Theater.

Tickets are RD$890 to RD$2,290 and can be purchased online.

Read more in Spanish:

• National Theater

The French-Dominican Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFD) is gearing up to host the Semana de Francia 2025 (France Week) in Santo Domingo, the premier business forum aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two nations. This year the event will take place 12 to 15 November at the JW Marriott Hotel at the Blue Mall in the National District.

This year’s event will focus on the timely theme of “Blue Economy and Smart Cities.” Organizers anticipate drawing over 800 business leaders, investors, and high-level authorities for the four-day event.

The event brings together the governments of France and the Dominican Republic, along with more than 800 participants, including business leaders, investors, and institutional representatives.

The program features conferences, networking sessions, B2B meetings, a trade fair, and cultural experiences...

Despite prevailing adverse global conditions, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by an accumulated 2.2% from January to September 2025. This is well below the 4-5% GDP growth that has been the normal for the Dominican Republic in the past. Governor Hector Valdez Albizu speaking during the anniversary celebrations for the Central Bank expressed optimism for a stronger outlook, forecasting a gradual return to the nation’s full economic potential.

“The Dominican economy is expected to gradually return to its potential growth in the coming quarters, as global uncertainty dissipates, private investment reactivates, and public sector capital expenditure increases,” the Governor said.

One of the reasons is that the Dominican Republic continues to shine as a premier destination for foreign investment, with direct investment reaching US$4 billion from January to September...

Román Andrés Jáquez Liranzo / Junta Central Electoral

The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Román Andrés Jáquez Liranzo, firmly rejects the use of alternate IDs for voting.

Jaquez Liranzo said that the cédula de identidad y electoral is the sole document with constitutional standing and the only one authorized for Dominicans to cast their ballots in national elections, both domestically and within the Dominican community abroad.

“With all due respect to the state powers, especially the Legislative Branch, the JCE radically opposes the use of any document other than the identity and electoral card to exercise the right to vote. It is the only document mentioned constitutionally, no other can be used, and this is what we will uphold,” he stated.

The JCE president’s remarks addressed concerns raised by Dominicans residing abroad during...

Eduardo Estrella / Presidency

Public Works Minister Eduardo Estrella during the Monday, 27 October 2025 press conference, provided clarity regarding a crack that appeared on the recently inaugurated Baní Beltway following Tropical Storm Melissa. He assured the public that the damage is minor and is being promptly repaired by the contractor.

The 20-kilometer highway, which had faced years of delays, was officially opened last August 2025. A section sustained damage after the recent heavy rains. Videos and images of the crack circulated on social media and in local news outlets, prompting public criticism and concern given the short time since the road’s completion.

Speaking during the weekly press conference, “LA Semanal con la Prensa,” Estrella downplayed the incident, characterizing the issue as an “opening” rather than a severe structural failure.“To give you...

The Dominican Republic jumped eleven positions in the World Justice Project’s global ranking, driven by major improvements in criminal justice, transparency, and institutional strengthening, as Diario Libre reported from a Supreme Court of Justice press release.

The president of the Supreme Court of Justice proudly announced the Dominican Republic has been recognized by the World Justice Project (WJP) as the country with the greatest global progress in the 2025 Rule of Law Index, climbing an impressive eleven positions—from 86th to 76th place—among 143 nations evaluated.

The World Justice Project Rule of Law Index is a quantitative assessment tool that shows the extent to which countries adhere to the rule of law in practice. The WJP was founded by William H. Neukom and William C. Hubbard in 2006 as a presidential initiative of the American Bar Association.

The Dominican Republic’s...

Silvio Durán / Diario 55

Weak institutions and lack of compliance with local laws has given way to overconstruction and planting of cement where before there were green areas that facilitated drainage. This is a pattern nationwide.

Talk shows are again looking into the drainage issue after the weeklong rains of Melissa flooded the country. News of the devastation in Jamaica is a reminder that the Dominican Republic is in the track of hurricanes, too. The Abinader administration chose to practically shut down the country for four days as a preventive measure causing billions in economic losses.

Esta Noche con Mariasela hosted a panel on Tuesday, 28 October 2025 that clearly stated that the National District should not flood because it is a city built on ground terraces facing the Caribbean Sea. Likewise, it is a city surrounded by rivers and gullies, enabling...

The Ministry of Foreign Relations (Mirex) has paid tribute to Dominican musician, composer, and artist Juan Luis Guerra, declaring him the Musical and Poetic Heritage of the Dominican Republic.

The event, attended by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, saw Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez emphasize that over Guerra’s four decades of artistic career, the artist has elevated Dominican music to extraordinary dimensions. Alvarez specifically highlighted how Guerra has imbued merengue and bachata with unprecedented poetic sophistication and musical versatility.

“His career transcends the awards and distinctions accumulated,” Minister Alvarez stated during the ceremony dedicated to the Latin American icon. “What is truly significant is his capacity to narrate —with poetic verses that seduce and captivate the imagination and the heart— the daily experiences of...

The Ministry of Culture has annulled the top award from the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts 2025, disqualifying the winning entry for violating contest rules that prohibit the use of perishable material, Diario Libre reports.

The revoked prize was granted to “Lo que no se saca de raíz, vuelve a crecer” (What is not removed by the root grows back), an installation by artist David Pérez K. The piece, widely dubbed “La Palmita” (The Little Palm Tree) by the public, consisted of a live palm tree planted in a container.

The work was initially awarded the prize on 22 August 2025, but it immediately ignited a firestorm of controversy within the art community. The central debate focused on the work’s ephemeral nature and whether it met the technical standards stipulated in the contest’s guidelines.

The resolution for annulment, signed by Minister Roberto Ángel Salcedo on 22...

Jochi Gomez and Hugo Beras / Diario Libre

José Ángel Gómez Canaán, widely known as Jochi, is accused of utilizing at least seven companies he owned or was closely linked to in the execution of alleged crimes that include sabotage of the Santo Domingo traffic light network, terrorism, money laundering, fraud against the state, and criminal association, according to the formal indictment presented by the Public Ministry, Diario Libre highlights after the indictment was made.

Gómez Canaán, who is indicted alongside former National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) director Hugo Beras and several others, reportedly employed these companies to secure what the prosecution describes as fraudulent contracts with Intrant. This agency, governed by Law 63-17, is the national authority responsible for regulating mobility, land transport, traffic, and road...

Former Dominican Republic congressman, Miguel Andrés Gutiérrez Díaz, could walk free in November 2030, according to official records from the US Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), N Digital reports.

Gutiérrez Díaz is currently serving his sentence at the Federal Detention Center in Miami after being convicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine into the United States and money laundering.

The 62-year-old former ruling party legislator was initially sentenced to 16 years in prison, but his term was significantly reduced to 11 years and 2 months by Judge Roy K. Altman of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Based on the BOP’s records, his projected release date is 10 November 2030, meaning he could regain his freedom in approximately five years.

The former lawmaker for the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) was arrested in 2021 following a joint...

The National Theater presents the Spanish drama El Protocolo del Quebranto on 29 October 2025 at its main hall. The 12th International Theater Festival (FITE 2025) was impacted by the passing of Tropical Storm Melissa and suffered a six-day suspension.

The Ministry of Culture advises to check with the individual theaters and social media for the final productions that will be presented on 29 October and 30 October.

The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 in game four of the MLB World Series. In the 28 October 2025 game, Dominican Vladimir Guerrero made the headlines delivering two runs against star pitcher-batter Shohei Ohtani.

In its report on game four, MLB baseball stated:Guerrero’s home run completely changed the energy of Dodger Stadium, turning one of the loudest ballpark experiences you could imagine from Game 3 into something more normal. This was different than if Guerrero had homered off Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow or Yoshinobu Yamamoto. This was best on best in every sense, two superstars leaning into one another with all of their weight.

MLB explained that Guerrero’s seven postseason home runs are more than any Blue Jays player has hit, with Joe Carter and José Bautista hitting six in their careers. He’s also up to 26 hits, tied for second-most in...

The Attorney General Office public ministry has formally filed an indictment against the former director of the National Institute of Traffic and Ground Transport (Intrant), Hugo Beras and against state contractor José Ángel Gómez Canaán (Jochi), and seven other individuals. They face serious charges related to the alleged sabotage of the Greater Santo Domingo’s traffic light system and terrorism offenses, N Digital reports.

The formal accusation, deposited before the Office of Permanent Attention Services of the National District, alleges that the defendants participated in coordinated maneuvers that significantly impacted the functionality of the traffic control network.

According to the case file, the actions of the accused caused coordinated failures across the traffic light grid, thereby jeopardizing both road and public safety.

The...

President Luis Abinader used the Monday, 27 October 2025 press conference to present the extensive coordinated preventive efforts to channel rain waters and mitigate flooding nationwide. The efforts were especially fruitful in Greater Santo Domingo.

The last time the country was impacted by a similar storm was in 2007 with the Tropical Storm Noel that resulted in at least 80 deaths. The waters of Melissa were greater, yet this time authorities only reported two deaths, including that of a youth who would have been swept off by a wave on the coast. His body is yet to be found.

Despite the two week-long intense rains delivered by the Melissa weather system, flooding did not reach the past levels and the investments, especially in conditioning gullies and streams in Greater Santo Domingo, have led to less evacuations.

Rafael Suberví for the Santo Domingo Water...

In her presentation during the 27 October 2025 press conference, the director of the Weather Institute (Indomet), Gloria Ceballos explained that the system had been followed closely from when it was an active trough to when it developed into a tropical storm and hurricane 5.

She said all throughout, the international models (US and European forecasts) did not agree on the path the system would take. Ceballos said that local weather forecasters were aware that the temperatures of the waters in the Caribbean were above 30C, very hot for the season, and these would create a pressure pot to develop a weather system of concern. Thus from the start, Indomet got the Dominican emergency system activated to prepare for the worst.

Ceballos said they told the government that this was a system similar to Tropical Storm Noel in 2007 that caused intense flooding and the death...

Veteran political scientist and prison reform advocate Roberto Santana Sánchez has formally taken charge of the Dominican Republic’s correctional system, immediately spearheading a major international cooperation agreement aimed at dramatically reducing the country’s high rate of pre-trial detainees.

Santana, the former rector of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) and current head of the National Office to Support Penitentiary Reform (Onaprep), began his formal duties as director general of Penitentiary and Correctional Services (DGSPC). The transition, overseen by Deputy Attorney General Rodolfo Espiñeira Ceballos, is viewed as a critical step toward strengthening the system before its planned transfer to the new Ministry of Justice. Santana committed to continuing his lifelong efforts to improve the national penitentiary system...

President Luis Abinader explained that named US ambassador Leah Francis Campos did not arrive on Wednesday, 22 October 2025 as originally had been planned. Her arrival was postponed because of the inconveniences caused by the intense rains of the outer bands of Tropical Storm Melissa.

President Abinader said during his weekly press conference on Monday, 27 October that Campos would come over the weekend. He did not detail the date.

Campos has yet to present credentials to Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez, and then to the President to formally commence her term as ambassador. The country was without a US ambassador all throughout the Biden administration. The DR did keep a US ambassador in Sonia Guzman throughout the past US administration. She has been replaced by Ambassador Maria Isabel Castillo Baez.

Read more in...

A study released on 21 October 2025 by The Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latino Studies at the City University of New York (CUNY) Graduate Center reports that more Dominicans are relocating to other urban areas from New York City even as immigration from the Dominican Republic continues.

The announcement was first shared with readers through DR1 Forums. Forum analysts say that the numbers may not take into account Dominicans who have integrated into the US society and are no longer tagged as migrants.

Read More:

• CUNY
• DR1 Forums

The Melissa rains continue to cause multiple game cancellations of the Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship (Lidom 2025-26) that began in mid-October 2025. So far only six games have been played.

Meanwhile, Dominicans are fully engaged following the series of seven playoff between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers. After the win in an 18-inning game on Monday, 27 October, the Dodgers are ahead, 2-1.

• Game 1: Blue Jays 11, Dodgers 4• Game 2: Dodgers 5, Blue Jays 1• Game 3: Dodgers 6, Blue Jays 5 (18 innings)• Game 4: Blue Jays at Dodgers: 8 pm, Tuesday, 28 Oct. (Fox)• Game 5: Blue Jays at Dodgers: 8 pm, Wednesday, 29 Oct. (Fox)• Game 6: Dodgers at Blue Jays: 8 pm, Friday, 31 Oct. (Fox)

• Game 7: Dodgers at Blue Jays: 8pm, Saturday, 1 Nov. (Fox)

Follow the Dominican tournament ...

The Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) is on track to unveil its comprehensive National Sustainable Tourism Strategy and Policy in December 2025, marking a major step toward a more competitive and climate-resilient tourism model. The announcement follows the completion of the third technical mission of a key development cooperation project with the UN Tourism (formerly UNWTO), as reported by Noticias SIN.

A most recent, intensive 12-day mission, a collaboration between Mitur and UN Tourism, focused on validating the draft of the national strategy. It served to gather crucial feedback from a wide spectrum of key stakeholders, including representatives from the public, private, academic, and community sectors.

The mission aimed to strengthen institutional capabilities and lay the groundwork for effective national and local implementation of the policy.

The visiting UN Tourism technical mission included Natalia Bayona, UN Tourism executive director; Gustavo Santos, regional...

Punta Cana is set to become the global epicenter of civil aviation this November as it hosts the 17th ICAO Air Services Negotiation (ICAN2025) Event from 10 to 14 November 2025. ICAN 2025 is organized by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and spearheaded locally by the Civil Aviation Board (Junta de Aviación Civil – JAC).

ICAN is hailed as the most important global platform for air services negotiations, offering participating States a central meeting place to conduct crucial bilateral, regional, or plurilateral air services negotiations and consultations. The event, which has seen participation from over 162 states since its inception, will be conducted in a hybrid setting (in-person and virtually).

ICAN2025 offers more than just negotiation time; it provides invaluable networking opportunities for policymakers, regulators, air operators...

The government-owned Banco de Reservas (Banreservas), under the administration of President Luis Abinader, has dramatically increased its financial commitment to the Dominican Republic’s tourism sector.

Leonardo Aguilera, executive president of Banreservas, announced a massive surge in the bank’s tourism credit portfolio, which now stands at RD$50 billion. This increase reflects a significant boost in financing to the vital sector.

Aguilera revealed the details during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Meliá Bergantín Beach hotel in Punta Bergantín, an event led by President Luis Abinader and Tourism Minister David Collado.

Aguilera says that today Banreservas tourism portfolio now accounts for 44% of the total financing granted to the sector by the entire national financial system.

The bank is actively backing the development of over 7,000 new...

The Abinader administration reports that the Cabo Rojo Pedernales tourism development project is moving forward, with the first hotel expected to open by the end of next year. The Cabo Rojo International Airport is scheduled to be operational starting in mid-2026.

The construction of three hotels is currently underway. Sigmund Freund, executive director of the Pro-Pedernales Trust, provided the following anticipated opening schedule:Iberostar Hotel: Expected to open in the second half of next year with 588 rooms.Secrets Hyatt Hotel: Planned to begin operations in the first half of 2027 with 507 rooms.Dreams Hyatt Hotel: Slated to open in the second half of 2027 with 504 rooms.

Beyond the hotels, the necessary infrastructure is also progressing:The Cabo Rojo International Airport is anticipated to be functional from mid-2026.The project already has access...

The Civil Aviation Board (JAC) of the Dominican Republic has authorized the Colombian ultra low-cost carrier, JetSMART Airlines, to operate new routes connecting Colombia and the Dominican Republic, a move expected to intensify competition and benefit travelers.

After the United States and Canada, the competitive fares already available for travel to Colombia and the Dominican Republic have turned Colombians into the third largest source market for Dominican tourism.

The authorization was granted during the JAC’s ordinary session on 13 August 2025, via Resolution No. 172, in compliance with the Air Transport Agreement between the two nations.

JetSMART Airlines received approval for two key routes:Medellín – Punta Cana – MedellínCali – Punta Cana – Cali

The operations are cleared as of Friday, 5 December 2025. However, it is worth noting that the specific...