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Late last week, Vice President of the Dominican Republic Raquel Peña announced the construction of the Ambar Expressway, a modern highway that will considerably cut travel time to Puerto Plata from Santiago.
The 40 km new road would connect the Santiago Bypass (Km 18 Circunvalación Norte) with La Gran Parada near Montellano in Puerto Plata on the north coast, some five km east of the Playa Dorada hotel complex. It would mean easy access to beach destinations in Playa Dorada, Sosua and Cabarete.
The Ambar Highway would place Puerto Plata just a 25 minute drive from Santiago, making it easy to arrive by the well-served Cibao International Airport.
Financing for the construction will be provided by the “complementary budget” that was recently sent to Congress, and that assigns an additional 20% to public works.
At the present time, access from the Cibao Valley to the north shore and its tourist attractions is limited to four main routes.
The main route goes west...
The Dominican peso hit a new historic low against the US dollar on Friday, 5 September 2025, closing at an unprecedented RD$64.05 to the US dollar. The Central Bank′s reference exchange rate saw the selling price of the dollar climb. The buying price settled at RD$63.36.
This marks a significant depreciation, with the peso losing approximately 4.6% of its value in just over a month. On 1 August 2025, the buying rate was RD$60.58 and the selling rate was RD$61.26.
Listin Diario reports that the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) is set to tackle the rising value of the US dollar. This week, the bank will present a package of measures to the Monetary Board aimed at curbing the currency’s appreciation.
Officials at the Central Bank believe the dollar’s recent gains are only temporary. The institution has stated that the current exchange rate is still within its monetary targets and that the Dominican Republic is not facing any underlying structural issues with its...
A new report from the Central Bank highlights a dramatic shift toward digital payments, Listin Diario reports. Bank transfers lead the charges, but credit, debit, prepaid cards and government subsidy cards are also growing.
Data from the first seven months of 2025 shows a total of 692.5 million transactions, valued at over RD$12.36 trillion, flowing through the country’s payment system.
Cards –credit, debit, prepaid and subsidy– accounted for the lion’s share of transactions. With 452.1 million transactions, cards represented 65.3% of the total volume.
While cards dominate in transaction volume, electronic fund transfers are moving the most money. These transfers, which include direct debits, credits, and instant payments, recorded 223.8 million transactions — 32.3% of the total volume. Yet, they represented a staggering 78.2% of the system’s value, moving over RD$9.67 trillion.
Instant payments, a more recent innovation, have seen explosive growth. Since their...
The Environmental Commission of the state university opposes the proposal presented by Peravia senator (PRM) Julio Fulcar to legalize the invasion of Baní Dunes lands by families. The lawmaker is now pushing for Congress to approve a bill that would grant land ownership to residents of Salinas. The municipality has allowed for the families to pay rent to the Bani city government for the properties.
Fulcar submitted a resolution asking President Luis Abinader to instruct the Minister of Environment to recognize the right of Salinas residents to remain in the area and to define the boundaries of the Bani Dunes.
The proposal has faced opposition. The Environmental Commission of the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD) has rejected the senator’s plan to change the boundaries of the Dunas de las Calderas Natural Monument to accommodate the families.
Read more in...
President Luis Abinader has appointed Juan Bienvenido Crisóstomo Martínez as the new commander of the Dominican Navy.
The appointment, announced in Decree 516-25, elevates Crisóstomo Martínez to the rank of vice admiral. He replaces Vice Admiral Agustín Morillo Rodríguez, who had held the position since August 2023.
Born on 27 December 1968, Juan Bienvenido Crisóstomo Martínez is a seasoned naval officer, a graduate of the Naval Academy in 1990.
Since then, Crisóstomo Martínez has held numerous leadership positions, including head of studies at the Naval Academy, executive officer of the 27th of February Naval Base, and subdirector of the Personnel and Order Division, Naval Intelligence Division, and Naval Operations Division.
His career also includes serving as the director of the Naval Command of Education and Training, director of Public Relations, director general of Organization and Doctrine of the Navy, and director of the Joint Operations Center of the Armed...
The United Nations needs to decide the future for the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. The mission is set to expire in October. The 800-men mission does not have much to show for itself, nor was it fully deployed. Haitian Times reports: “Despite its presence alongside the Haitian National Police (PNH), the MSS has yet to secure any territory or help arrest a notorious gang leader.”
Now, there is the effort to approve a US-backed plan to shift the force into a UN-funded peacekeeping model. The present model has done little to curb gang violence and control in Haiti.
“Greater clarity is expected in October, when the MSS mandate will either be renewed or adapted under a new model,” Jack Ombaka, the spokesman for the MSS, told The Haitian Times.
The Haitian Times reports that as the multinational force faces challenges to deliver, the...
Government vehicle purchases soar despite austerity plan, Diario Libre reports. Data shows that in the first three years of President Luis Abinader’s administration, annual spending on vehicle acquisitions skyrocketed by 123%.
The increase comes despite a directive from the president himself to limit these purchases, first issued in June 2021 as part of a broader austerity measure.
Diario Libre says that the majority of the vehicles acquired have been for essential services like emergency response, public safety, and school transportation, yet several SUVs have also been purchased for government officials.
The trend marks a sharp reversal from the previous administration. According to data from the General Public Procurement Agency (DGCP), spending on motor vehicles dropped by 87.21% between 2018 and 2020, falling from RD$4.3 billion to RD$550 million in the...
The Dominican Republic’s public health system reported 9,459 abortions in 2024, according to new figures from the National Statistics Office (ONE). The data was released as part of ONE’s Socio-Demographic Statistics Yearbook, which also includes information on education, employment, and poverty, Listin Diario reports.
The vast majority of the procedures —9,243 of them— were performed within the National Health Service (SNS), the public hospital system. Other cases were reported at the government-owned Central Hospital of the Armed Forces (56), the General Hospital of the National Police (3), and private charities and non-governmental organizations (157).
Regionally, the Ozama area led with 3,026 abortions, encompassing cases in both the National District (527) and Santo Domingo (2,499). It was followed by Cibao Norte with 960 and Cibao Sur with 554.
Listin Diario report...
The governments of the Dominican Republic and the People’s Republic of China have signed two key cooperation agreements, strengthening their bilateral relationship. The agreements include a financial cooperation pact to fund development projects and a memorandum of understanding to provide scholarships for Dominican public officials.
The financial agreement provides the Dominican Republic with a non-reimbursable grant of US$40 million from China. This funding is earmarked for emergency response and disaster relief projects.
The second agreement outlines a plan for 450 scholarships for Dominican public servants. The scholarships are designed to boost technical and institutional capacity in critical fields such as agriculture, construction, transportation, renewable energy, and public health.
Minister of Foreign Relations Roberto Álvarez, emphasized the impact of...
The huge coal-fired power plant at Punta Catalina on the south coast in Peravia province, is in the news, once again. From its beginnings, the facility has made headlines from the day it was revealed that the international tender process did not reward the lowest bidder.
Built during the past Danilo Medina administration, Punta Catalina is at present the most important power plant complex in the country. Yet, cost overruns, defects, constant issues with keeping the plant online, and now, a government audit, have sullied the image of what should be the shining star of the national electric grid.
On Friday, 5 September 2025, a report was released by the government accounting office known as the Chamber of Accounts, which details some RD$21 billion in unsupported and undocumented payments to contractors and media outlets. Because of this situation, the auditors could not...
Fibropapillomatosis has been detected in a large number of young turtles on the North Coast. Conservationists are alarmed, reports Marvin del Cid for Diario Libre.
Over the past week, seven juvenile green sea turtles were found stranded between Montecristi and Samaná, all suffering from fibropapillomatosis. Four of the turtles died, while three were rescued and taken to the National Aquarium.
Marvin del Cid explains that Fibropapillomatosis is a viral disease caused by the Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), which manifests as wart-like tumors that can reach a severe size and gravely threaten the lives of the turtles. The growths, which can range in color from pink to black, often appear on soft tissue like the neck, flippers, and eyelids, and can even grow inside the turtle’s internal organs. These tumors can make it difficult for the turtles to swim, see, and...
Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester and fro UNICEF, Anyoli Sanabria / Diario Libre
The United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) has donated three shelters for children, adolescents, and pregnant or lactating women who are awaiting deportation by the Directorate General of Migration (DGM). These centers are located in /Santiago, Dajabon, and Elias Piña.
According to the press release, the three areas are valued at over RD$18 million and were set up by Unicef. The DGM signed an agreement that requires the agency to maintain conditions that respect the dignity of the interns, as well as protect them from abuses and provide specialized services to these vulnerable groups.
The treatment of the persons interned in the holding shelters will be under the cover of Law 285-04, which governs the DGM and Law 136-03 that covers the...
In a scathing statement, Guido Gomez Mazara, a leading figure in the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), said that the fight against government corruption and impunity is returning important sums to the Dominican people. He was referring to the sum of RD$3.082 billion that was returned to the government by Max Montilla in a plea deal with the Justice Department.
This was part of the famous Anti-Pulpo case that has been in the courts for years, and involves many members of former president Danilo Medina’s family. The case proved that Max Montilla took advantage of being the President’s brother-in-law.
Gomez Mazara emphasized that the vast sum returned to the government is larger than the budget for Civil Defense and the Ministry of Agriculture, combined. He went on to indicate that at least three other ministries have budgets far less than the returned sum: Culture, Youth, and Women...
“Lo que se saca de Raíz Vuelve a crecer” / Diario Libre
The Dominican Society of Visual Artists (SODAV) is challenging a prize awarded at the 2025 National Biennial of Visual Arts, urging the Ministry of Culture to revoke the decision due to a violation of contest rules.
In an official statement dated 5 September 2025, SODAV requested the annulment of the award given to “Lo que se saca de Raíz Vuelve a crecer” (What is Taken from the Root Grows Again), a piece by artist Karma Davis Pérez that won in the sculpture category. The statement, signed by SODAV president Francisco Sánchez Guanabacoa and secretary Alescar Ortiz, argues that the piece is a “living sculpture” composed of a royal palm tree. SODAV asserts that the National Biennial’s venue, a museum, lacks the protocols and facilities to properly preserve such a piece.
“Within the framework of the current regulations and...
Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa was inducted into the Cubs Hall of Fame on 7 September 2025. The 2025 Cubs Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place at Wrigley Field.
Chicago Cubs Executive Chairman Tom Ricketts has described Sosa:
“Sammy Sosa was not only one of the greatest home run hitters of all time, but he was a favorite of right field bleacher fans by showing, sprinting out to right field to start each game. His defensive play was All-Star caliber in addition to his impressive all-time slugging stats.”
Follow the story: MLB Sammy Sosa statements...
A troy ounce of gold for December futures contracts hit a record high of US$3,622.80 on the global market today, a jump of US$30.10 from the previous trading day. The average price settled at US$3,562.30.
The continued rise in gold prices means more revenues as the Dominican Republic is a major gold exporter. Likewise, a significant windfall for public finances comes with the increase.
As a major gold exporter, the Dominican Republic stands to gain from this price surge.
The government anticipates that these higher prices will lead to a substantial increase in tax revenue for 2025, with a full impact expected on income tax (ISR) and net profit participation (PUN). The government’s 2025 annual budget had projected income based on a much lower gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, as reported in Listin Diario.
The expansion of Barrick Gold’s plant in the country is set to keep...
The Dominican Postal Institute (Inposdom) has temporarily suspended all package shipments to the United States following the implementation of new US customs regulations that have eliminated a key tax exemption, Hoy reports.
The suspension, which took effect immediately, is a response to the US government’s decision to remove the tariff exemption as of 29 August 2025. This change means that all packages sent to the US are now subject to customs duties and taxes, regardless of their declared value.
Inposdom stated the temporary halt will remain in place until official protocols for the application of these new tariffs are established. The measure, however, does not affect all mail. Shipments of letters and documents remain exempt, as do gift packages sent to friends and family with a declared value of up to US$100, provided they are clearly marked as “GIFT.”
The postal...
The first Amazon Air flight was received on 3 September 2025 at Las Americas International Airport (SDQ) by ALK Global Logistics, the Miami-based agent for the airline, Diario Libre reports. The cargo airplane will also serve Dominican exports. The airline has scheduled seven flights a week, with capacity for 700 metric tons.
For months now, Amazon has been delivering in the Dominican Republic door-to-door with no additional cost to subscribers to the service.
Amazon has opened similar logistics hubs this summer in Bogota, Colombia and San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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Rosa Amalia Pilarte / Diario Libre
Former congresswoman Rosa Amalia Pilarte (PRM-La Vega) was admitted on Wednesday, 3 September 2025 to the Rafey Women’s Correction and Rehabilitation Center in Santiago to serve a five-year prison sentence for money laundering tied to drug trafficking.
Pilarte was escorted into the facility late Wednesday evening, following her conviction by the Supreme Court of Justice. A video obtained by Diario Libre shows Pilarte being accompanied by several agents from the Penitentiary Surveillance Treatment Department as she was transferred from La Vega.
Pilarte’s arrest took place at the Attorney General’s Office in Santo Domingo. This came after a raid on her home in La Vega by members of the Public Ministry, which led to her presenting herself to authorities.
Read more in...
Tampa Rays’ Junior Caminero has become only the second player in franchise history to reach the milestone and the first Dominican to hit 40 home runs this season, El Dia reports.
When Junior Caminero arrived at spring training, he set an ambitious goal: to hit 30 home runs in his first full professional season. What he likely didn’t imagine was that he would end up making history with a campaign that places him among the greatest young hitters of all time.
The Dominican slugger hit his 40th home run Tuesday night at George M. Steinbrenner Field, becoming just the second player in Tampa Bay Rays history to reach the mark. But his historic night wasn’t over. A two-run double in the seventh inning not only broke a tie against the Mariners but also gave him 100 runs batted in for the season.
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In a move to underscore its commitment to national development, the Abinader administration has released a detailed report on its public infrastructure spending over the last five years. The report, highlighting thousands of completed projects across all 31 provinces and the National District, asserts that no region of the country has been left behind.
According to a document provided to the media by the Presidential Strategy and Communications Department of the Presidency (DIECOM), the administration’s National Infrastructure Investment Plan totals RD$753 billion. Of this, RD$600 billion have already been spent, with work ongoing on other projects, both large and small, many of which are nearing completion.
The department is now making a comprehensive list of all projects publicly available, including their locations, investment amounts, and current status. The Presidency...
Catalino Correa HIciano / Presidency
President Luis Abinader has appointed Catalino Correa Hiciano as the new general manager of the Development and Export Bank (Bandex), effective immediately via Decree No. 498-25.
Bandex has the role of channeling resources to support projects of high economic and social impact for the country. Bandex offers financing with longer terms and grace periods than commercial banks.
Correa Hiciano brings extensive academic and professional experience to the role. A certified public accountant, he holds a degree from the O&M University, a master’s in Tax Accounting from the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD), and an MBA in Operations from the Pontifical Catholic University Mother and Teacher (PUCMM). He also specialized in fraud and money laundering prevention at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Spain.
His...
The Senate has urgently approved a bill to modify the 2025 National Budget Law, authorizing an additional RD$1.28 trillion (US$22.7 billion) in spending. The bill, which was submitted by the Executive Branch, was passed in two readings without modifications, exactly as it was received from the Chamber of Deputies.
The new legislation allows the spending of RD$69.7 billion (approximately US$1.24 billion), that is 4.7% more than had been approved earlier for the year. The expansion calls for an investment of 20% in capital spending, or RD$35.54 billion (US$630 million), or 0.4% of GDP.
The budget amendment allocates funds to several key ministries and projects, including:• Public Health and Social Assistance: Focusing on improving healthcare facilities and services.• Public Works and Communications: Including resources to complete all outstanding road...
The Dominican government designated the armed group known as Cártel de los Soles as a terrorist organization, according to Decree 500-25 issued by the Executive Branch on 2 September 2025. This move authorizes state intelligence and security agencies to take appropriate measures to prevent the group’s incursions into national territory or against Dominican interests abroad.
A Presidency press release says the decision aligns with the Dominican Constitution, which prioritizes combating transnational criminal activities that threaten the country’s interests, as well as national and regional peace, stability, and security.
The decree also instructs the Ministry of Foreign Relations to communicate this decision to relevant international organizations and the Dominican Republic’s strategic partners. Additionally, the ministry is tasked with coordinating with multilateral bodies...
Maxi Montilla / El Día
A high-profile corruption case in the Dominican Republic has concluded with a major settlement, as businessman Maxy Montilla Sierra has agreed to pay a substantial fine and dissolve his companies. Montilla carried out the operations taking advantage of his status as brother-in-law of former President Danilo Medina.
Montilla, who is implicated in the “Operation Antipulpo” case, was accused of using his businesses to fraudulently secure over RD$3 billion (approximately US$51 million) in government contracts.
The agreement, approved by Judge Raymundo Mejía of the First Court of Instruction of the National District, mandates that Montilla pay RD$600 million (approximately US$10.2 million) to the country’s three state-owned electricity distributors—EdeEste, EdeSur, and EdeNorte. The payment serves as restitution for the damages his actions caused.
In addition to the...
The National Police has cleared windshield washers and street vendors from major intersections in Santo Domingo, following numerous complaints from citizens published in Diario Libre.
Newspaper journalists surveyed key city intersections, including John F. Kennedy with Máximo Gómez, 27 de Febrero with Máximo Gómez, and Abraham Lincoln with 27 de Febrero and were told by frequent users that the areas, once crowded with vendors, are now clear. Police presence was visible at many of these locations.
This is not the first time vendors have left the intersections. In the past the Police has undertaken operations to make the vendors understand to clear the streets.
The recent crackdown was extended to vendors of windshield wipers, fruits and other goods who typically operate at traffic lights, Diario Libre reports. An anonymous vendor interviewed at the...
In his weekly press briefing on Monday, 1 September 2025, President Luis Abinader spoke of the local aviation boom. He announced that the Dominican Republic has solidified its status as a leading air and logistics hub in the region. He said data shows the country is already the second best air connected country in Latin America, second only to Mexico.
Abinader highlighted unprecedented milestones in operational safety, airport modernization, process digitalization, and expanded international connectivity.
The President noted that the country’s Open Skies policy has led to updating or signing in the past five years of bilateral agreements with 50 countries of the 73 with which it has agreements. This includes the agreements with Canada, Argentina, Spain, Guyana, Greece, Egypt, Singapore, Honduras and Latvia, among others.
The DR has direct flights to 414...
Amazon chose the Dominican Republic to be its second regional logistics hub. The air hub operations begin on Wednesday, 3 September 2025 at Las Americas International Airport (SDQ).
The goal of the Santo Domingo hub is to provide faster and more reliable shipping across the Caribbean and Latin America, boosting e-commerce in the region.
Customs Agency director Eduardo Sanz Lovatón has explained that e-commerce is changing the national logistics dynamics. “Today, 60% of online purchases are transported by air, when just two decades ago the majority arrived by sea. This shows how our economy is evolving and the country’s role as a distribution center,” he pointed out.
This year, Las Americas International had already inaugurated a modern package and courier reception center, designed to respond to the growth of international transport.
Amazon Air Cargo will operate...
An attraction always worth a visit, the Museum of Modern Art is now housing the 31st National Biennial of Visual Arts (BNAV). This 2025, the exhibition celebrates the artistic legacy of renowned painter Elsa Núñez and her significant contributions to the nation’s art and culture.
Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo, speaking at the opening of the exhibit at the Plaza de la Cultura museum, highlighted how it appeals to all citizens who appreciate and follow the visual arts.
Salcedo announced that he will present to the Executive Branch a draft decree to establish a permanent Biennial Committee to ensure greater stability in its organization. He also revealed that for the 2027 edition, prizes will be increased to make participation more attractive to artists.
The Biennial, organized by the Ministry of Culture since 1942, has become the country’s main...
Arajet is promoting travel to the Dominican Republic to travelers in the Chicago area. The airline is launching a new low cost direct flight starting 15 November 2025.
The Arajet flights will start with three weekly frequencies. Flights will depart from Punta Cana on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and from Chicago’s O’Hare International (ORD) on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Mondays. This new route will provide over 2,200 seats per week, making Chicago a strategic hub for Dominican tourism and business.
According to the Ministry of Tourism of the Dominican Republic, the United States is the country’s top source of tourists, with more than 138,000 visitors from the Chicago area alone. The new direct route aims to build on this strong foundation.
“In Arajet, we remain committed to offering new connection opportunities between the Dominican Republic and the United States with...
Tourism Minister David Collado has inaugurated the reconstruction of several key streets in the popular tourist town of Sosúa. The initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure that the benefits of tourism are felt directly by local communities.
The reconstruction work, which local residents had long advocated for, included the streets of Bajada del Tablón, La Gallera, Benigno Lantigua, and the Valedor sector circuit.
During the inauguration ceremony on Sunday, Collado emphasized that the growth of tourism should be a positive force for local communities. “We believe in tourism that has a positive impact on communities, on their people,” he said. “And the work we are inaugurating today is the best reflection of that.”
Collado expressed his firm belief that “where tourism arrives, development arrives.”
The project, which spanned a total of 4.35 kilometers...
Take note that soon Playa Linda will be a place to visit. The Ministry of Tourism announced a RD$37 million makeover of the beach area in Nizao, in southcentral Peravia province. The Abinader administration and local investors have been investing in developments on the coastal areas west of the capital city in the provinces of Peravia, Azua, Barahona and Pedernales.
The upgrade includes a boulevard for tourists, as well as new parking areas and a boardwalk.
There will be tables, umbrellas and deck chairs available for visitors. The area has mangroves, almond trees and many other tropical species.
Tourism Minister Collado noted that the improvements will boost the local economy.
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