DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) has announced a significant surge in remittances, with inflows reaching US$10.78 billion between January and November 2025. This figure represents a substantial increase of US$1.02 billion, or 10.5%, compared to the same period in 2024.

Building on this strong performance, the BCRD projects total remittances to exceed US$11.7 billion by the close of 2025, a new record.

In November alone, the country received US$889.5 million in remittances, an increase of US$48.7 million (5.8%) over November 2024.

These funds, supplied by the Dominican diaspora abroad, are critical to the national economy, having a “multiplier effect on consumption, investment, and the financing of the country’s most vulnerable sectors,” the BCRD stated in a press release.

The BCRD largely attributes the robust performance of remittances to the...

The Dominican Republic has been very slow in implementing measures to reduce plastic wastes. The Chamber of Deputies passed the amendments to Law 225-20 on Solid Waste Management and Coprocessing. The bill already had passed in the Senate so it moves to the Presidency for enactment.

Law 225-20 on Solid Waste Management and Coprocessing dates back to 2020, but only now is the government getting around implementations, including reduction of single use plastics.

Law 225-20 has now been modified to exclude the use of those Expanded Polystyrene (EPS)trays used in supermarkets to exhibit meats, fruits and vegetables. This foam and its cousin, the polystyrene bags used to hold groceries are due to be phased out at the beginning of 2026.

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous pieces of solid refuse in the Dominican Republic. Photos of rivers at flood stage often look...

The Presidency sent Congress a legislative proposal to merge the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Minerd and Mescyt respectively).

According to the press release, if the bill passes in the ruling party majority Congress, the Ministry of Education would absorb all of the functions of the Mescyt, and place the ministry in control of all educational systems in the country. In addition, an Education Council would be created to serve as a consultant and accompany the Minerd in formulating, evaluating and providing educational policies.

The proposal is for the creating of new deputy ministers to cover the different areas. There will be a Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Educational Operating Services, Technical and Pedagogical Services, Territorial Management and Supervision, Development and Strengthening of the...

After 9pm on Sunday, 14 December 2025, Judge Rigoberto Sena of the National District Permanent Attention Court returned to the courthouse after deliberation and ordered the maximum 18-month pre-trial imprisonment at Najayo Jail following the indictment presented by the Attorney General towards the former director of the National Health Insurance plan (Senasa) plan, orthopedian Santiago Hazim Albainy and six others – Rafael Luis Martinez Hazim, Gustavo Enrique Messina Cruz, German Rafael Robles Quiñones, Francisco Ivan Minaya Perez, Ramon Alan Speakler Mateo and Ada Ledesma Ubiera. Ubiera was ordered to the Najayo women’s jail. The judge also declared the case complex that gives more time for the hearings.

In line with a request from the Public Ministry, Judge Sena also imposed less severe measures—including house arrest, travel bans, and periodic reporting—on Eduardo Read...

Luis Peña Núñez / CMD

Dr. Luis Peña Núñez officially assumed the leadership of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), taking the oath of office as the new national president for the 2025-2027 term.

The swearing-in ceremony was held this Friday at the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National Library.

Dr. Peña Núñez was inducted by the outgoing president, Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, and his board of directors. The transition was carried out in accordance with the Medical Collegiation Law (68-03), formally establishing the new authorities who will guide the CMD for the upcoming two-year period.

Read more in Spanish:

• Listin Diario

The National Penitentiary of La Victoria, an infamous facility inaugurated in 1952 during the regime of dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo regime, has closed its doors. It was designed for 2,000 men and at times harbored more than 9,000 men. It was marked by decades by crippling overcrowding, rampant human rights violations and systemic corruption, Listin Diario writes in its note on the shutdown.

Inmates have been transferred to the Las Parras Correction and Rehabilitation Center, the country’s largest jail located in San Antonio de Guerra in northeastern Santo Domingo province. The relocation began in mid November.

In its report on the shutdown, Listin Diario recalls that corruption and criminal activity were deeply embedded at every level at the Victoria Jail. Public denunciations, such as those made in 2022 by Roberto Santana, the current director general of...

On International Anti-Corruption Day (9 December 2025), the Dominican Republic marked a major milestone in public integrity by launching InvestmentMap 2.0 (MapaInversiones 2.0), described in an Interamerican Development Bank press release as a groundbreaking digital platform. This IDB initiative positions the nation as a global leader in leveraging new technologies, specifically Artificial Intelligence (AI), to fight corruption and strengthen public accountability across Latin America and the Caribbean.

The IDB’s regional InvestmentMap project is dedicated to the traceability of budgets, investments, and public procurement. The renewed platform, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and Economy of the Dominican Republic and offers citizens an unprecedented level of access and oversight into how public funds are utilized.

InvestmentMap 2.0 achieves a unified, articulated view...

The Dominican Republic once again was at the center of the maelstrom surrounding Haiti and the roving gangs that control much of its territory. The DR took part in the discussions of the United Nations International Force Generating Conference, convened by the United States and Canada. More than 20 nations from Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean were present at the conference that sought to decide on actions to bring domestic tranquility to the neighboring country.

A force of 5,500 members was agreed upon, and their assignment will be to neutralize, dissuade or suppress the gangs, now designated as terrorist organizations by the United States as well as the Dominican Republic.

Some countries have already pledged funds for the operation: The European Union has pledged ten million euros and Qatar has pledged US$44...

The Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act (H.R. 6504) bill passed the Ways and Means Committee of the US House of Representatives with a vote of 37-3. The Ways and Means approval is considered a step forward for congressional approval.

Haiti receives US trade preferences for textile and apparel products through several trade programs, including the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act (HOPE) and Haiti Economic Lift Program Act (HELP).

The legislators voted in favor considering that an extended lapse in these programs could jeopardize Haiti’s apparel manufacturing industry, exacerbating the current political instability in the country and increasing security concerns in the United States.

The bill renews duty-free treatment provided with respect to certain imports from Haiti under the HOPE/HELP program for...

Colombian authorities have dismantled a sophisticated criminal organization accused of trafficking citizens from the Dominican Republic, providing them with fraudulent Colombian civil registries, national ID cards (cédulas de ciudadanía), and passports to facilitate illegal travel to the United States and Europe.

The operation, dubbed “Operation Belén,” successfully identified the illicit activities of the transnational network dedicated to migrant smuggling and document fraud. The migrants reportedly paid between US$3,000 and US$5,000 to be transported from the Dominican Republic to Colombian cities like Medellín and Planeta Rica (Córdoba), where the ring processed the fake documentation.

A major break in the case involved the alleged participation of an insider: Andrés Felipe Saltarín, a civil servant at the Auxiliary Registry Office of Belén...

Toros del Este / Diario Libre

The Leones del Escogido (10.5 games behind), Estrellas Orientales (11.5 games behind) and Gigantes del Cibao (12 games behind) are battling it out for the fourth position to move beyond the regular season in the 2025-26 Dominican Winter Professional Baseball Championship. The regular season ends on 23 December 2025.

So far, the Aguilas have ensured their presence in the tournament’s round robin. The Toros del Este (La Romana) are 4.5 games away from the first place, and the Tigres del Licey are third, some 9.5 games behind.

In the Sunday 14 December 2025 games, the Escogido improved its positioning and grabbed the fourth position after defeating the Gigantes, the team that is in the last position.

Juan Soto and Juan Marichal / Diario Libre

Star outfielder Juan Soto is only awaiting New York Mets permission to be included in the Dominican roster of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). The slugger, who holds the highest contract in professional sports history, declared his readiness after receiving the prestigious Juan Marichal Award for the second time. The award honors the best Dominican player in Major League Baseball.

“Everyone already knows that answer [about playing in the Classic]… we are ready,” Soto affirmed when questioned about his commitment after accepting the accolade.

Soto, 26, emphasized that his decision to represent the country was his own and a goal he had set for the coming year. “It was my decision,” he stated in an interview with “Luz García El Podcast.”

“I had always wanted to put on the Dominican Republic uniform,” he...

In a move heralded as a significant step toward modernizing the Dominican Republic’s foreign trade, the Customs Agency (DGA) has signed a historic inter-institutional agreement with ten key government agencies. The accord aims to further expedite container freight clearance and solidify the operation of the Integrated Single Window for Foreign Trade (VUCE).

The DGA’s director general, Yayo (Eduardo Jose) Sanz Lovatón, penned the agreement, which seeks to transform the entire logistics chain through process standardization, automation, and integration, promising greater efficiency, security, and regulatory compliance.

The new agreement builds on the success of the existing 24-Hour Clearance Program, which has already facilitated the clearance of over 100,000 containers. This initiative has generated estimated savings for the Dominican economy ranging from RD$2...

Despite a public defense from the National Institute of Traffic and Land Transport (Intrant), a controversial speed reduction ramp installed on the Avenida George Washington (the Malecón) continues to draw intense fire from the public, with critics arguing the measure was implemented without adequate warning or public consultation. The widespread complaints highlight a critical safety lapse that appears to be fueling, rather than preventing, accidents.

The inherent danger of the new structure was dramatically underscored this week when a vehicle slammed into an electrical pole in the Eugenio de Hostos Park. The condition of the driver remains unknown, but the incident serves as a grim warning of the ramp’s potential to cause serious harm.

While complaints focus heavily on the structure’s abruptness, some local residents support the ramp...

UNESCO World Heritage site managers from Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to promote Sustainable Tourism and share best practices. The regional workshop focused on strengthening capacities in visitor management and promoting inclusive and sustainable development.

UNESCO, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Municipality of the National District of Santo Domingo, organized the regional workshop on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, in the framework of the project ‘Communities for Heritage – Latin America and the Caribbean’ funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

With the participation of the Central American Educational and Cultural Coordination (CECC/SICA) and Secretariat for Central American Tourism Integration (SITCA), the event brought together experts and...

The Center for Diabetes, Obesity, and Specialties (Cemdoe) officially announced its transformation into a full-service hospital on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, following the completion of an extensive regulatory process and the construction of significant new clinical and support areas, as reported in Diario Libre following a tour of the new services.

The initial phase of the new hospital operation features a substantial increase in capacity for critical and complex care:28 beds for general hospitalization, including seven dedicated to intensive care.Four high-complexity operating theaters.A state-of-the-art hemodynamics suite, specifically designed to manage cardiovascular and cerebrovascular emergencies—the two leading causes of death in the Dominican Republic.

The hospital that is located in western Santo Domingo also has upped its emergency services that...

The Attorney General of the Republic Yeni Berenice Reynoso confirmed on 10 December 2025 that an investigation is underway targeting doctors and various health centers implicated in billing the National Health Insurance and Health Risk Administrator (Senasa) for fraudulent, unnecessary, adulterated, and false medical procedures, as reported in El Caribe.

Calling the practice of performing five catheterizations on a patient who needed none, or administering unrequired radiotherapy sessions, “absolutely criminal,” the Attorney General emphasized that a second phase of prosecution is forthcoming. This new phase will be linked to the corruption case that already includes the indictment of Senasa’s director, Santiago Hazim, and nine other individuals.

“I can give you absolute assurance that more people will be charged, and yes, there are people under investigation...

Maxy Gerardo Montilla Sierra / CDN

The high-profile corruption case against Maxy Gerardo Montilla Sierra, the brother-in-law of former President Danilo Medina, has reached a definitive conclusion. A judge has approved a significant “opportunity criterion agreement” that extinguishes all criminal charges against Montilla and his associated companies in exchange for massive financial compensation and the dissolution of the firms involved.

Judge Reymundo Antonio Mejía Zorrilla of the First Instruction Court of the National District homologated the agreement, effectively ending the penal process for alleged acts of corruption, money laundering, bribery, and fraud against the Dominican state and the power distribution companies: Edeeste, Edesur, and Edenorte.

The judicial resolution cited Article 370.6 of the Penal Procedure Code, noting that the defendant “collaborated effectively” with...

In the developing case surrounding the tragic death of 11-year old Stephora Joseph during a school field trip on 14 November 2025, a Santiago court imposed precautionary measures on three defendants linked to the alleged negligence. A fourth defendant was released without restrictions after being deemed unconnected to the fatal event. The accused all worked at the Instituto Integral Da Vinci school in Gurabo, Santiago that organized the excursion to the Hacienda Los Caballos. The child would drown in a swimming pool.

Judge Yeritza Cabra, presiding over the Santiago Permanent Attention Court, authorized Yris del Carmen Reyes Adames, administrative director of the school; Francisca Josefina Tavárez Vélez, psychology guidance staff; and Vilma Altagracia Vargas Morel, high school coordinator, to post a bond of RD$500,000...

Tampa Bay Rays baseball player Wander Franco was convicted in June 2025 of sexually abusing a minor in the Dominican Republic and then received a two-year suspended sentence. His lawyers were able to get a court of appeals to order a retrial and thus a new panel of judges will now oversee Franco’s case, as reported in Yahoo Sports.

“The court understood that there were many flaws, many omissions … many issues, and decided to send the case to a new trial,” Franco’s attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, told the Associated Press.

Franco was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor in June. He was accused of having a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl and transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship. He received a two-year suspended prison sentence for the illegal sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl, which allows him to remain...

Banco Popular Dominicano is inviting families to once again witness its cherished holiday tradition, the Milagro de la Navidad (Miracle of Christmas). This free theatrical spectacle, a staple of the Dominican holiday season for over three decades, will be staged on three select dates in December at the bank’s headquarters, the Torre Popular at Av. John F. Kennedy in Santo Domingo.

The performances are scheduled for Sunday, December 15th, Sunday, December 22nd, and Wednesday, December 25th (Christmas Day). Each of the three performances will begin at 6:30 p.m. The evening will conclude with a dazzling fireworks display that is always a delight for attendees of all ages.

The show is a dramatic recreation of the Nativity, intended by Banco Popular as a spiritual gift to Dominican society, with a message of peace, harmony, and family unity that has become a core part of the...

Ballet Concierto Dominicano is inviting audiences to dream with The Kingdom of the Nutcracker, a new version by Sarah Estevez and Carlos Veitia of the beloved Christmas classic, promising an evening filled with fantasy, music, and exquisite dance.

This fresh take on The Nutcracker is set to transport spectators directly into the heart of the festive season, making it a must-see event on the Christmas cultural calendar.

Special guests from the Ballet Nacional Dominicano Oficial are joining the Ballet Concierto for the performance.

The performances are at the Sala Carlos Piantini of the Teatro Nacional Eduardo Brito. Three shows are programmed for Friday, 12 December at 8:30pm and Saturday, 13 and Sunday, 14 at 6:30pm. Tickets are for sale at Uepa Tickets online, and physically at the Supermercados Nacional and Jumbo stores.

Read more in...

A police reform bill seeks to overhaul the current legislative framework, introducing significant changes aimed at regulating the organization and operation of the National Police.

Included in the new bill on the reform of the National Police submitted to Congress on Monday, 8 December 2025, is a provision that would impede the assignment of police agents to government or private institutions.

The new rule, detailed in Article 147 of the proposed reform to Law 590-16 (National Police Organic Law), explicitly states that police personnel cannot be assigned to surveillance, custody, reception, or internal security roles in ministries, departments, agencies, autonomous entities, public enterprises, or any other official state dependencies.

“Each public institution shall be responsible for guaranteeing its own perimeter and internal security, through private services...

Penal attorney Francisco Álvarez Martínez, has issued a stark warning, asserting that the recently enacted Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP) could trigger a wave of legal challenges before the Constitutional Court. Álvarez attributes this risk to what he describes as flawed deliberation, rushed amendments, and the controversial lack of a vacatio legis (implementation period) before its immediate enforcement, CDN reports.

The new rules for criminal cases are in effect as of Wednesday, 10 December 2025 nationwide.

The attorney’s remarks come amid widespread complaints about the code’s instant entry into force. The reform has been defended by the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, who maintained that the process was “responsible, broad, and consensual.”

During an interview on the program 55 Minutos con Julissa Céspedes on CDN, Channel 37, Álvarez...

Public Assets Recovery Team against Senasa / Diario Libre

The Dominican state has formally filed a civil complaint against the individuals accused in the major fraud case involving the National Health Insurance (Senasa), with a legal team committed to work pro bono until all stolen funds are recovered. The alleged scheme is being characterized as a direct “assault on life” against the nation’s health beneficiaries. The public health service primarily serves the country’s poor.

The Public Assets Recovery Team (ERPP) deposited the formal complaint and civil suit yesterday, concerning the alleged fraud committed against Senasa. The legal team labeled the massive embezzlement as “a direct attack against the life and health of Dominicans.”

The collective affirmed it will work closely with the Public Ministry...

The pre-trial hearing against the first 10 arrested in the National Health Insurance (Senasa), the public health insurance ARS case is set for Thursday, 11 December 2025.

Meanwhile, local media continue to publish details of the Public Ministry case against officials of Senasa. The evidence leans against the statement of innocence of former general manager Dr. Santiago Hazim who in September 2025 when the case began to make headlines in the press blamed others in the system.

As reported in Hoy, Wilson Camacho, for the prosecution team, called the case the most sinister they have dealt with.

The over 500-page file presented by state prosecutors unveils an alleged major corruption network. The Public Ministry’s probe describes a complex web that reportedly involved a combination of administrative fraud, corruption, document falsification, and money laundering...

State prosecutors are presenting charges of negligence and involuntary murder of 11 year old Stephora Anne-Mircie Joseph, during a school outing to a ranch with swimming pool on 14 November 2025 against the school’s administrative director and three employees of the Colegio Da Vinci of Santiago. The private school is not charged in the case.

The case was postponed for the first hearing on Wednesday, 10 December 2025.

Media reports say that a video shared with the lawyers of the mother of the deceased reveal that there was not surveillance of the pool area. Making matters worse, the video shows how the 11-year old steps into deep water and calls for help but her cries were ignored by a school staff member and children in the area.

The drowning was only noticed when one of the children thought the girl was playing and touched her drowned body.

The video also...

Military air traffic from the United States into the Dominican Republic has recently escalated, with a noticeable increase in flights to both the San Isidro Air Base and the Las Américas International Airport (AILA), according to information obtained from military sources, Diario Libre reports.

Diario Libre reports that a C-5 Super Galaxy, regarded as one of the world’s largest cargo planes, touched down at the San Isidro Air Base, and a C-17 Globemaster III arrived at Las Americas International Airport on Sunday, 7 December 2025.

President Luis Abinader had announced on 26 November 2025 that the Dominican government had authorized the provisional use of the Las Americas International Airport and San Isidro Air Base for military and drug combating operations of the US Department of War (Defense). The announcement was made during a press conference...

Claro Dominicana reported a major service interruption on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, causing widespread intermittent connectivity and slow speeds for both its fixed and mobile internet users across the country.

The telecommunications company confirmed the outage was due to two separate cuts in its fiber optic network. Compounding the issue, one of these cuts critically compromised the system’s backup infrastructure, leading to the nationwide degradation of internet service.

In a statement, Claro apologized to customers and detailed its response: “We are experiencing two fiber optic cuts. One of them affected the backup system, which has generated intermittency and slowness in some fixed and mobile internet services nationwide. Our technical team is working intensely to restore services as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding.”

The company assured the public...

President Luis Abinader and Minister of Industry and Commerce Victor Bisono participated in the ground breaking on 28 November 2025 for the construction of the City Center by Lady Lee, a US$700 million investment of a business group from Honduras. The City Center is marketed as the largest mall in the Dominican Republic. It will be built in eastern Santo Domingo with access from the Las Americas Highway.

Rachid Maalouf, the president of the Lady Lee Corporation, the Honduran company building the mall, explained the ambitious project as a mixed one that promises to transform urban development in eastern Santo Domingo. The mall will have capacity for 400 stores. The project calls for a hotel and corporate tower, as well as residential areas.

The largest mixed-use development in the Dominican Republic is designed by RSP Architects in Miami, Florida, USA...

Santo Domingo Motors, the Dominican Nissan, Chevrolet, Suzuki, Infiniti and Cadillac dealership, is now open to serve customers with a full range of technological services in Punta Cana, backed by a significant investment of US$14 million.

The new branch is open at Boulevard Turístico del Este Km 8, in Punta Cana, between Downtown Punta Cana to the North and the Punta Cana International Airport to the South.

During the opening ceremony, company president Aníbal Rodríguez underscored that this strategic move reinforces the concessionaire’s market leadership. Santo Domingo Motors is currently recognized as the number one auto dealer in reputation within the Dominican automotive sector.

Let there be no doubt, Cooperstown Hall of Fame member Albert Pujols is calling the shots for the Dominican team in the World Baseball Classic, the global baseball event set for 5 to 17 March 2026. Japan is the defending champion. The DR won the title in 2013 and Pujols is putting his heart and soul to ensure the DR gets the championship this coming 2026.

Pujols has stated that the quality of Dominican players and the large number who want to make the team are his dilemma as he chooses the roster. “It’s a good headache to have so many superstars. Each one of them will have their moment, a high point to help us win,” Pujols has said, as reported by David Venn for MLB.

The DR team manager has mentioned Elly de la Cruz, Johan Rojas, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Junior Caminero, Sandy Alcántara and Geraldo Perdomo as team members but has yet to announce his full roster.

The top...

For the second time in six years, the Detroit Tigers will head to the Dominican Republic for part of their Spring training this coming March 2026.

This time, they’ll play two games against the Dominican Republic team that Cooperstown Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is assembling for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

The two-game DR Team vs Detroit Tigers series is scheduled for 3-4 March 2026 and will be played in memory of the victims from the Jet Set nightclub tragedy in Santo Domingo last April. MLB will make a donation to the Dominican Red Cross as part of the event.

Read more MLB

10 December 2025

The Ministry of Interior and Police has cleared restaurants, clubs, event centers, and piano bars, discos and casinos to remain open and sell alcohol to 3pm Sunday to Thursday, and until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. The rescheduling is effective 10 December to 5 January 2026.

The Christmas schedule does not apply to colmadones that need to close at midnight.

Moreso, businesses are allowed to remain open all night on Christmas Day, 25 December and New Year’s Day, 31 December 2025.

The new alcohol sales and night spot schedules are also a call for extra caution for those commuting at night.

Minister of Interior and Police Faride Raful announced a major program has been coordinated with the private sector to make available Punto Vida, or private and public spots where women in danger can find temporary refuge and assistance.

She says the program is in coordination with the Attorney General Office and the Ministry of Women. She says the program seeks to be a life jacket for women who have not found the necessary relief from the services offered by 911, prosecution offices or the police.

Ernesto Martinez, president of the national association of malls (ONEC), said that their establishments have joined the movement. President Luis Abinader announced that government entities would follow, motivated by the enthusiasm of the private sector for the program.

The intention is to close the breach of women at risk with a nationwide system set up to protect...

President Abinader announces Presidente Beer will bring back its legendary Festival Presidente that some 10 years ago was the leading musical festival in the Caribbean and Central American region. The announcement comes on the heels of the successes of the Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

The Cerveceria Nacional Presidente, the Presidente beer brewery, for years had sponsored the event that gathered the leading Latin music performers for three days in Santo Domingo.

2026 is the year for the return, but no specific date was mentioned. The last time the festival was held was in 2017, marking 20 years of the first concert. The festival was suspended after the beer company had changed ownership and complained that the new taxes on beer sales had reduced sales.

President Luis Abinader made the announcement on Monday, 8 December 2025, during his...

Members of the Reform Comission and the Legal Consultant of the Executive Branch, Antoliano Peralta / El Día

The Presidency submitted a comprehensive bill for the modernization and transformation of the National Police to the Senate on 8 December 2025, marking a critical step in a major police overhaul.

Antoliano Peralta, the legal consultant to the Executive Branch, delivered the proposed legislation alongside members of the Police Reform Commission.

“This is not a perfect bill, because no human endeavor is perfect, but we are all convinced that it represents a great advance,” Peralta stated: “Following its expected approval, the police force will be totally different and will finally enter the 21st Century.”

President Luis Abinader officially transmitted the initiative to the National Congress with a message: “I submit...

Eduardo Sánchez Tolentino (El Piro) while explaining the Senasa case. To the right the ex Minister of Senasa, Santiago Hazim / Somos Pueblo

Local media have begun to cover the details contained in the 537-page file Attorney General Office prosecutors have prepared against the first 10 charged in the Senasa case (named Cobra by the Public Ministry) on alleged administrative corruption in the management of the public health insurance company.

Senasa was a highly reputed health insurance company until it came under the management of physician Santiago Hazim with the start of the Abinader administration in 2020. He was removed in August 2025 after the irregularities hit the press. He is accused of orchestrating administrative fraud, corrupción, document forgery and asset laundering. He is accused of backing the installation of several fraudulent...

Minister of the Presidency , José Ignacio Paliza / Presidency

Minister of the Presidency Jose Ignacio Paliza has announced that as of January 2026 new buses will be running the Corredor de la Independencia. He made the announcement during the 8 December 2025 press conference.

He said the buses are already in the country.

The transport routes are operated by bus companies pre-selected by the government. Paliza did not announce which entity had received the concession for exclusive bus transport on the Independencia Avenue.

Follow the story: La Semanal

9 December 2025

A coalition of 70 communities in the central Cordillera Septentrional mountain range has launched an organized protest against a mining exploration plan proposed by the Ministry of Energy and Mines, warning that the project threatens to destroy vital natural resources, agricultural lands, and the livelihoods of thousands of families.

The communities estimate the project could potentially impact over 142,000 tareas (approximately 8,930 hectares or 22,070 acres) and a critical water network essential to the Cibao region.

In a document shared by local priest Father Ramón Ramos (Padre Nino), community leaders detail their grave environmental and rights concerns. They allege that the Ministry has already explored more than 70 potential gold extraction sites without any public consultation, a move they denounce as a clear violation of their...

Evan Ellis reported for the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) on the remarks by participants in the 3rd Regional Network Meeting for Crime Analysts (RNA) held in Santo Domingo, 24 to 27 November 2025.

The event brought together crime analysts from across the Caribbean, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France, to discuss challenges posed by organized crime in the region.

Ellis reported that the 3rd RNA was important in calling attention to the profound problems of drug flows and other organized violence in the region. It also highlighted the important progress that is being made and helped to advance collaboration between governments and other stakeholders. The positive contributions of the event highlighted that successful collaboration in combatting organized crime in the region involves not only the governments and citizens of the...

This 7 December 2025, Teeth of the Dog reopened at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas in La Romana. The world class golf course carved by the late Pete Dye marked a before and after for golf in the Dominican Republic and in the Caribbean region when it opened in 1971.

The impressive course is now renovated and continues to be one with nature. And now new fairways have been added and the bunkers and greens fronting the Caribbean Sea have been restored.

The tee times are reserved for villa owners, residents and their guests, and guests staying at Casa de Campo Resort & Villas. The course is not open for day play by unregistered residents or guests.

Casa de Campo shares details of the restoration:

127 bunkers have been completely renovated, each now featuring advanced drainage systems and new liners.

70 teeing areas have been revitalized, using 679 cubic...

Padel in the Dominican Republic has reached a historic milestone, officially joining the global circuit following the successful affiliation of the Dominican Royal Padel Federation (RFDP) with the International Padel Federation (FIP) and Padel America.

This landmark integration marks a turning point for the racquet sport nationally, securing the Dominican Republic’s position within the international structure and paving the way for local hosting of tournaments, professional development, and participation on the world stage.

The announcement was formalized during the FIP’s 35th General Assembly in Acapulco, Mexico, where the RFDP became one of the organization’s 100 member federations worldwide.

Padel, a sport rapidly gaining traction among both young people and adults, has seen sustained growth across the nation, particularly in hubs like Santo Domingo, Punta Cana...

Culture activists have taken a stretch of Santiago’s historic center and turned it into a gallery of European masterpieces. Sixty-one high-quality reproductions of works from the renowned Museo Nacional del Prado in Madrid, Spain have taken over the streets, offering the public a direct encounter with the essence of one of the world’s most important art institutions.

Dubbed “El Prado in the Streets,” the exhibition, anchored by the perimeter fence of the Centro León, extends about half a kilometer along Calle Benito Monción and culminates at Parque Duarte where the city cathedral is located.

Where once the walls told only local stories, they now exhibit centuries of universal art history. From El Bosco and Velázquez to Rubens, Goya, and Sorolla, the public display turns the urban landscape into a vibrant, free-access museum.

The exhibition will run through most of...

Aguají, the high-end restaurant at Sosua’s The Ocean Club, has been included in the prestigious Latin America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. It secured the 88th position on the prestigious list. This is a gastronomic milestone thanks to persevering Chef Tita (Ines Paez Nin).

Diario Libre reports this is a first for a Dominican and Caribbean restaurant.

The Aguají Restaurant was created by Chef Tita for the luxury Marriott-branded hotel.

Aguají is the high-end dining concept at the Ocean Club in Sosua, Puerto Plata. The making of the list is regarded as evidence the Dominican Republic can claim leading status in the highly competitive Latin American and Caribbean gastronomical region. Chef Tita exalts the Dominican identity through its ancestral roots and draws inspiration primarily from the indigenous Taino culture.

Aguají’s entry into the...

Not on the beach, but very close, the new Reserva Real by Harper offers 193 modern rooms with kitchenettes in a new complex at Avenida Alemania in the central Bavaro area of Punta Cana.

The architecture is inspired on the Italian town of Portofino. There are multiple pools, a complete gym, and a variety of dining experiences. The accommodations are adjacent to a plaza with beauty salon, barbershop, minimarket, and pharmacy.

A press release from the hotel reports that its first guests have been posting rave reviews on Expedia and Trip Advisor.

The property was developed by Noval Properties and is operated under the Harper brand of Archipelago International.

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• Harper Hotels