DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic
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President Luis Abinader launched the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, 25 August 2025 in Santo Domingo, welcoming more than 2,062,000 public students nationwide of 2,664,028 students that are registered for the next school year in the public, private and hybrid systems.
The ceremony took place at the newly inaugurated Casandra Damirón School in Santo Domingo Este.
The Presidency announces more than 6,000 new teachers have been hired for the 2025-26 school year. Likewise, the Trae school transportation program has been expanded.
The President announced that 100% of public school students would receive a school kit, underscoring that educational quality remains a priority. He also highlighted the reintroduction of civics and ethics courses into the extended school day to strengthen values and civic education.
Abinader encouraged students to treat their schools as a second home. “I ask the students to treat their school, their high school, as their home,” he said. “This is...
The Transportation Cabinet of the Abinader Administration will launch the fourth phase of its left-turn restriction program this Sunday, 1 September 2025, targeting key intersections along John F. Kennedy and 27 de Febrero avenues. The traffic changes are part of the “RD Se Mueve” traffic management strategy aimed at easing congestion and improving road safety in the National District.
The ongoing initiative, which began with interventions at 13 major intersections in previous phases, has already cut travel times by more than 30% on avenues such as Lope de Vega, Tiradentes, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Máximo Gómez.
In this new phase, traffic flow will be reorganized at the intersection of Máximo Gómez and John F. Kennedy, which will shift from a four-phase to a three-phase traffic signal operation. As a result, left turns from John F. Kennedy Avenue heading south onto Máximo Gómez (east-to-south) and from John F. Kennedy heading north onto Máximo Gómez...
The Dominican government is maneuvering to reduce the damages of the shutdown of Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo), the mining firm that for decades has marked the livelihood of thousands in Monseñor Nouel province. Diario Libre looks into the case in the Superior Administrative Court (TSA) submitted on 22 July 2025 on violations of the 70-year old contract that has resulted in environmental damages for more than US$25 million.
El Informe con Alicia Ortega looks into what is happening now that the mining firm has shut down and the impact in the central province.
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In the wake of a series of tragic incidents where at least seven children were killed by their own parents this August, Minister of Interior and Police Faride Raful has stated that the country has a significant “social debt” when it comes to mental health.
Just this Monday, 24 August, a young mother gave her three children, ages 11, 9 and 7 poisoned juice and then took her share. The father returned home to find his family dead.
Following a meeting with the Joint Task Force, which included President Luis Abinader and Public Health Minister Víctor Atallah, Raful addressed the issue, emphasizing that mental health had not been a priority for many years in the Dominican Republic. She stressed that while it is fundamentally a health issue, it has also become a matter of public safety, demanding a coordinated response to protect children and other vulnerable groups.
“Mental health stopped being a priority many years ago, and we are now resuming articulated initiatives because...
In a night of brilliant play, Dominican senior women’s volleyball team captain Brayelin Martinez led the Reinas del Caribe to defeat Mexico 3-0 (25-15, 25,17 and 25-20) during the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Championships taking place in Thailand. The DR is ranked 10th and Mexico 26th by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB).
The competition runs from 22 August to 7 September across four host cities: Bangkok, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Mai and Phuket. The 20th edition of the Women’s World Championship represents another historic first, as Southeast Asia welcomes a Volleyball World Championship for the first time in the sport’s history.
In the match on 24 August 2025, the DR shut out Mexico in Chiang Mai and topped the current pool standings on a perfect record of two straight-set victories. The DR had already defeated Colombia (3-0).
FIVB reported that it was Mexico’s 25 unforced errors (against 14 from the Dominican Republic) that helped their opponents...
25-year old Alexander Ogando is trained by Félix Sánchez, the Dominican double Olympic champion. Sánchez is also Ogando’s mentor. Now, the hard work is bearing fruit as preparations are completed for the World Championships set for 13 to 21 September 2025 in Tokyo, Japan.
As part of his ongoing preparations for the World Championship, the Dominican sprinter last week added another major achievement to his career by winning the 200-meter race at the Diamond League in Brussels, Belgium, on Friday, 22 August. The 24-year-old clocked 20.16 seconds, edging out American Robert Gregory (20.19) and Nigerian Udodi Onwuzurike (20.29).
His next race is the 200 m Diamond League final on 28 August 2025 in Zurich, Switzerland. And then, the World Championships in Tokyo.
World Athletics website reports that this victory further cements Ogando’s rise in global athletics and highlights his role as one of Latin America and the Caribbean’s top sprinting talents. His performance continues to...
The brawl between Dominican and Argentine players that happened after the DR had defeated Argentina 84-83 on Monday, 24 August 2025 in Managua, Nicaragua during the AmeriCup 2025 has ended in the suspension of several key players. The suspensions will impact the teams.
Key player David Jones Garcia is suspended for two FIBA official Games. Juan Guerrero and Juan Suero are suspended for one FIBA official game. Angel Delgado is suspended for one FIBA Official Game for a probationary period of three years. If the player commits the same or similar offense during the probationary period, he will immediately be suspended one game, in addition to any sanction imposed for the new offense.
The penalties were released in an official FIBA statement that outlined details surrounding the aftermath of the Argentina-Dominican Republic game at the AmeriCup 2025.
The FIBA Disciplinary Panel imposed the following sanctions in accordance with the FIBA Regulations.
A monetary fine of...
The Colonial City is under intense renovation works, but it is getting better every day. There is always a reason to come and see what is new.
People can look forward to the opening of the Museo del Merengue y la Bachata, scheduled to open in March 2026.
The location and the people behind the Museo del Merengue y la Bachata in the Colonial City practically guarantee its success. The museum will be located in the 16th Century edifice that had opened as the Hotel Frances on the corner of Arzobispo Meriño and Las Mercedes streets.
Louis Broker, the entrepreneur that brought Santo Domingo the iconic places of Pat’e Palo, Jalao and Lulu is now working with Lisa Ortega, the young architect whose design for the Dominican stand in Fitur recently won the best stand.
And there is Jose Antonio Rodriguez, the former Minister of Culture (2012-2016)...
The updated 2026 PGA Tour schedule outlines 35 official events. Among them, the Corales stop will once again welcome over a hundred professional golfers from around the world.
For its ninth consecutive year, the PGA Tour will be held at the Corales Puntacana Championship at the Puntacana Resort & Club’s Corales Golf Course. The Puntacana Championship will be played 13-19 July 2026.
As part of the PGA Tour’s ongoing strategic alliance with the DP World Tour (PGA European Tour), players from both circuits will be eligible to compete in the Corales tournament. The DP World Tour is the premier professional golf tour for men in Europe and beyond, known for its global destinations and schedule across five continents. It finalizes with the DP World Tour Championship takes place in Dubai and is contested by the top-ranked players.
DP World port and logistics operator from Dubai...
Are you a fan of merengue, bachata, salsa, rumba or son? People are giving good reviews to Lungomare, the Santo Domingo Sheraton restaurant lounge on the Malecon as a place to go to listen to live tropical music and do some dancing, too.
There is a steady stream of live performances.
On Wednesdays, there is karaoke from 9pm.
As a sampler, on Fridays in August, Johanna Almanzar and her Rumberos la Banda performs live as of 9pm.
The good news is that admission is free.
Call Lungomare at 829 643-6383 for reservations.
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Disney Cruise Line has contracted for stops of its Disney Dream ship in Puerto Plata for the season of October 2026 to May 2027. Early bookings open on the Disney Cruise Line website as of 2 September 2025. This is the first time that Disney Cruise Line will call on Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic.
The cruises that will stop in Puerto Plata begin in The Bahamas and end in Tortola from where the ship returns to the Bahamas. The stops are Disney Castaway Cay, Disney Lookout Cay and Nassau in The Bahamas, followed by Puerto Plata (Dominican Republic), San Juan (Puerto Rico), St. Maarten and Tortola.
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Expedia has launched its Island Hot List and the Dominican Republic is included in the top three. The Dominican Republic is the leading tourism destination in the Caribbean. The DR is listed in third place behind Aruba, Bali (Indonesia), and followed by Fiji and Jamaica.
Expedia highlights these pluses for the top island destinations:• Aruba (Best for Year-Round Sunshine)• Bali, Indonesia (Best for Relaxation)• Dominican Republic (Best for Adventure)• Fiji (Best for Community)• Jamaica (Best for Culture)
The flight and hotel booking engine calls its Island Hot List a definitive guide to the best island destinations of the year. Expedia analyzes what matters most to travelers including standout stays, affordable prices, seamless flight access, and irresistible tourism appeal. Expedia explains that the inaugural curated report, released in July 2025, reveals global...
Zilvinas Lapinskas / Diario Libre
Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is the regional airport receiving flights from the most airlines and most destinations in Latin America. FL Technics, with headquarters in Vilnius, Lithuania, is now installing a regional giant for aircraft maintenance, repair and overall services (MRO). Having a Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) Center at Punta Cana International Airport (PUJ) is critical to ensure the safety and efficiency of air operations in the region.
The MRO center is located in the new Logistics Park of the Punta Cana Free Trade Zone (Grupo Puntacana and DP World Logistics Center) in an area of 115,588 m2 of land. Zilvinas Lapinskas, CEO of FL Technics, explains it is the first infrastructure project to be developed from ground up in the Americas. The new infrastructure will service Airbus A320F and...
Diario Libre journalists covering the advances in the Metro Line 2C construction, scheduled for a test run in September 2025, made a discovery that has people asking what the builders have been thinking when they installed the massive pillars but left no room for pedestrians.
The recent report in Diario Libre helps people become aware that the sidewalks are blocked in some stretches and there are no sure crossways in other areas. Yes, the Metro cars can zoom by above, but what about the people on foot for whom the Metro is designed?
President Luis Abinader has announced the works are advancing so that the Metro Line 2C can open to the general public in February 2026.
Read more in Spanish:
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) is going ahead with the Emdoc proposal for new ID for the Dominican Republic. The single contest finals participant, the Emdoc consortium was approved to supply materials, equipment and services for the ID renewal. All IDs in the Dominican Republic have expired. The new ID is said to have a duration of 10 years.
The issuing of the new IDs is part of a general effort of the Civil Registry at the JCE to correct almost three million IDs with irregularities. The JCE expects to issue new IDS to around 8 million persons.
Diario Libre reports that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) has awarded a contract worth RD$3,361,540,992.22 to the Emdoc Consortium, following a decision by its Procurement Committee. The final amount is slightly lower than the consortium’s original bid of RD$3,363,322,420, yet significantly higher than...
Public schools reopened in the Dominican Republic for the 2025-2026 school year on Monday, 25 August 2025. Private schools are allowed flexible back-to-school dates and many had started earlier.
The Ministry of Education says that 2,664,028 students are registered for the next school year in the public, private and hybrid systems.
The Ministry of Education this year is opening morning and afternoon sections at several public schools, eliminating the afternoon classes to give way to the increased demand for classrooms.
The return to school is equated with worsened traffic.
- El Dia ...
People queued for days in the Centro de los Heroes area to receive the backpacks with electronic devices and school supplies on Sunday, 24 August 2025 from 8am to 2pm. The ticket price was a sack of used plastic bottles.
The exchange was organized by the City Hall of the National District. City Mayor Carolina Mejia who since her first term as mayor in 2020 has been organizing the events that help clean up city garbage while creating awareness among young people of the importance of recycling.
The city hall has an agreement with a recycling company that converts the bottles into furniture for city parks.
Reports are that the effort was successful and more than 15 million plastic bottles were collected.
New Finance and Economy Minister Magin Diaz announced key changes to the 2025 National Budget to boost the economy. Last week he met with legislators of the Special Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to present the government’s proposed reformulation of the 2025 National Budget, which totals RD$69.7 billion. The government says the revised budget prioritizes economic stimulation through increased public investment and targeted sectoral spending.
Of the total amount, RD$20 billion will go to the National Treasury to manage its obligations. The rest is largely earmarked for ministries and institutions expected to drive economic growth amid global uncertainty.
The Ministry of Public Works is set to receive RD$17 billion, the largest allocation after the Treasury, followed by the Ministry of Public Health with RD$12.9 billion. The Ministry of Interior and Police is...
Jose Singer / Acento
Former Dominican ambassador to the United Nations, Jose Singer Weisinger sees the relations of China and Dominican Republic as a one-sided relationship that merits rethinking. He says the DR has little to show from breaking with Taiwan on 30 April 2018 to establish full relations with China during the second Danilo Medina administration.
In an opinion piece in Acento, he complains that the DR has a bad deal with China. He is most critical that China, a member of the United Nations’ National Security Council, has not voted in favor of the proposal to turn the Kenya-deployed mission in Haiti to a Peace Force with more support from the United Nations. Singer says the positive vote would not cost anything to China. He does not understand the position China has maintained in the Security Council.
The position of the Dominican government has been to back the request by the...
The Dominican Republic received members of the United States National Security Council and the US Department of Defense last week. These high-ranking members of the Trump administration met with President Luis Abinader and several Dominican ministers. The visit will come to a conclusion tomorrow, 26 August.
Michael Jensen, a former United States Air Force Lt. Colonel, is the senior director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council (NSC), and Joseph M. Humire is a Bolivian-American, who is an expert in the field of national security and terrorism. Humire is currently the Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere.
Joseph M. Humire is the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Western Hemisphere Affairs, overseeing US defense and security policy for Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean...
Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester / Diario Libre
Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballestar, the director general of Migration, made it clear to many representatives of the agricultural sector of Tireo and Constanza that his agents would continue to pursue and capture undocumented aliens, even if they were working in the fields.
Farmers, local politicians, members of Congress, all have asked that the Migration Agency for lenience with the Haitian laborers that are an important workforce for the vegetable crops in La Vega province.
Minister of Agriculture Limber Cruz Lopez attended the meeting on the strict application of the government’s immigration policies that President Abinader has proclaimed as necessary for the national security.
The farmers told the authorities that the constant roundups of undocumented workers (Haitians) was damaging their ability to...
This should not be news really. In the United States there have been too many stories about students, burdened by student loan debt, unable to find gainful employment beyond fast-food restaurants. Apparently, something similar is occurring here in the Dominican Republic.
The Diario Libre, and other newspapers, are reporting that most of the nation’s college students are following career paths in Law, Psychology, Education, Accounting, and Medicine, careers that appear to have diminishing prospects for employment.
A recent study by the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (ANJE) showed that these career paths compose about 45% of all university students, show the lowest salary increase, and apparently do not fulfill the demands of the employment market.
According to Jose Jimenez, an accountant who is now working as a digital traffic analyst at a media company, the...
The mother of a JetSet Club roof collapse victim has launched an educational foundation in her daughter’s memory. In a moving tribute to the memory of Alexandra Grullón, a victim of the tragic JetSet Club roof collapse, Melba Segura de Grullón has launched the Alexandra Grullón Academic and Cultural Fund. The new foundation aims to provide educational scholarships and support to survivors, and to children and young people who lost a parent in the disaster.
The launch event, held at a Santo Domingo hotel, was attended by Vice President Raquel Peña and other prominent figures, including Minister of Public Works Eduardo Estrella. The foundation’s board will be presided over by Melba Segura de Grullón and includes notable members like Milton Ray Guevara, Servio Tulio Castaños, Fernando Hasbún, and Ariel Ramos.
The 8 April 2025 tragedy at the JetSet Club...
In a historic first, Dominican diplomat and archaeologist Kathleen Martínez has been unanimously elected as a member of the Archaeological Academy of Italy, a prestigious institution with roots tracing back to the 19th Century, Listin Diario reports. The honor recognizes her groundbreaking research in Egypt, where she has led a project at Taposiris Magna in search of the long-lost tomb of Cleopatra.
Kathleen Martínez’s current diplomatic post in Egypt is Minister Counselor for Cultural Affairs at the Dominican Embassy in Egypt, and she also leads the Dominican-Egyptian Archaeological Mission in Alexandria.
The induction ceremony, held in the city of Como, was led by the academy’s vice president, Monica Lavino Mariani. Martínez was presented with a diploma formally naming her a “Foreign Academic...
It was not her best event, but Dominican runner 19-year old Liranyi Alonso set an event record of 22.69 to win the 200 m in the Asunción, Paraguay Youth Pan Am Championships. The previous day, Alonso had won silver in the 100m with a time of 11.40.
Alonso is coached by Dominican Jose Ludwig Rubio who coached Luguelin Santos silver medalist in the 200 m in the London Olympic Games (2012). Rubio coaches Salwa Eid Naser, the key contender to Dominican Olympic gold medalist Marileidy Paulino in the 400m.
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FIBA ranks Argentina third in the Americas, the DR is sixth. Yet, over the years, the DR has become the nemesis of Argentina in the AmeriCup. The DR did it again in Managua, Nicaragua, going 84-83 against Argentina in the AmeriCup 2025. Interestingly, the Dominican team is coached by Nestor (Che) Garcia, a former deputy coach of the Argentine national team. The AmeriCup is taking place 22-31 August in Managua, Nicaragua.
Argentina was the big favorite. It took a win in overtime for the DR to repeat the nightmare of the Argentina team. The DR has defeated Argentina in the three most recent matches the teams have played internationally.
For the DR, it was the country’s second win at the FIBA AmeriCup 2025. It was about a team that would not give up. In a hard-fought contest, the emerging players of the DR came from behind after trailing for 35 minutes. The game would end 75-75...
President Luis Abinader formally received the letters of credence from seven newly accredited ambassadors to the Dominican Republic during a ceremony held Wednesday, 20 August 2025 at the Presidential Palace.
Accompanied by Vice President Raquel Peña and Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, President Abinader welcomed the diplomatic representatives, who will serve as official envoys of their respective nations: Spain, the Republic of the Congo, Albania, Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Kenya, and Poland.
The credentials ceremony took place in the Hall of Ambassadors, where the new ambassadors were received in a formal diplomatic setting. All of the appointed diplomats bring extensive experience in bilateral and multilateral diplomacy, having previously held positions in international missions and foreign affairs ministries.
Ambassadors presented:Lorea...
The Ministry of Environment of the Dominican Republic, in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has released the GEO 2024 Report, raising red flags about the country’s escalating environmental challenges — including desertification, land degradation, and water scarcity.
According to the report, agriculture and livestock account for 82.3% of the nation’s total water consumption, placing immense strain on already limited water resources. The analysis also highlights that mass tourism and the effects of climate change are significantly contributing to environmental deterioration across the country.
One of the most alarming findings warns that up to 70% of the Dominican Republic’s soil could suffer degradation if immediate and effective mitigation measures are not implemented.
The GEO 2024 report provides a comprehensive overview of...
Chamber of Accounts of the Dominican Republic (CCRD) president Emma Polanco Melo announced the streamlining of the submission of sworn asset declarations for government officials. She says the modernization initiative is part of the institution’s digital transformation strategy.
Government officials are obliged to report their worth when entering the position and then when leaving.
“Our goal is to offer citizens a more efficient, transparent, and accessible service, putting technology at the service of accountability,” Polanco Melo said.
She added that the new tool was developed based on feedback from filers and is built on five core principles:• Reducing unnecessary fields to align strictly with Law 311-14.• Assigning a unique number to each declaration for better tracking.• Providing access to an asset summary to reinforce transparency.• Creating complementary tools...
Danny Santos, Constructora Danny Santos Compres SRL
Neighborhood groups from Cuesta Brava and Arroyo Manzano have brought to the open the irregularities in the issuing of government permits. The Ministry of Environment cleared the construction with the issuing of an Environmental Impact Permit for the construction of the Balcones del Cerro (43,000 square meters) and Balcones de la Rivera (18,894 sq meters) apartment projects in northern National District.
The constructions are going up along the Arroyo Manzano green belt area where no commercial entities and only single homes are permitted, according to the National District planning documents that go as far back as 1993 during the last government of the late President Joaquin Balaguer. Balaguer’s legacy left several large green areas – National Botanical Garden, National Zoo, Mirador del Norte, Mirador del Sur, Mirador del...
Marileidy Paulino came in fourth in the 200m spring at the Diamond League Lausanne competition as she continues to prepare for the 400m in the World Athletics competition in September. Her race in the Lausanne event was a cash prize of US$3,000 for the Dominican Olympic gold medalist.
She clocked 22:43 compared to her personal best in the race of 22:30. The race was won by Britanny Brown of the United Kingdom with 22:23. Next was Ofili Favour of Nigeria with 22:31 and Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith of Ivory Coast with 22:37.
Paulino chose not to compete in the 400m in Lausanne because she already had already qualified for the Diamond League final to take place in Zurich after winning three races in that category. In the 400m in Lausanne, her main competitor, Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Naser, despite the lure of more prize money, clocked in fifth with a time of 51.08.
Paulino is...
The Dominican senior basketball team is in Nicaragua to compete in the FIBA AmeriCup 2025, the prestigious continental tournament that will be held from 22 to 31 August 22 at the Polideportivo Alexis Argüello in Managua, Nicaragua.
The participating nations are Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.
This is the DR’s 15th appearance at the prestigious continental tournament. The team traveled from Puerto Rico to Nicaragua after playing friendship games vs Puerto Rico as a warm up for the AmeriCup.
The Dominican squad is led by national team captain Víctor Liz, alongside Gelvis Solano, Eloy Vargas, Andrés Féliz, Jean Montero, Ángel Delgado, David Jones, Joel Soriano, Jassel Pérez, Juan Miguel Suero, Ángel Núñez and Juan Guerrero.
At the helm is veteran coach Néstor “Che” García...
Miss Universe María Victoria Kjær, President Luis Abinader, Vicepresident Raquel Peña and Miss Dominican Republic Jennifer Ventura / Presidency
President Luis Abinader and Vice President Raquel Peña welcomed Miss Universe 2024 (Miss Denmark), María Victoria Kjær, and Miss Dominican Republic Universe 2025, Jennifer Ventura, during a courtesy visit at the Presidential Palace on Tuesday afternoon, 18 August 2025.
The beauty queens were received in the private hall of the Presidential Palace at 3pm, where they took part in a warm and elegant gathering marked by national pride and international distinction, the Presidency reported.
President Abinader and Vice President Peña praised the global recognition and talent both women represent. They highlighted the importance of the Dominican contest in promoting the Dominican Republic and fostering...
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) opened Envelope B on 19 August 2025, revealing the economic proposal for a new national identification and voter’s card. This marks a significant step in the international public bidding process to select the supplier for the card.
The JCE’s Committee on Purchases and Contracting, led by its president Luis A. Mora, presided over the opening. The committee, which included top JCE officials and a notary, emphasized that this was an act of opening, not an award announcement.
“There is no awarding in this session,” Mora stated. “The awarding will be announced in the coming days, if applicable.”
The process began with three contenders for the contract:
Emdoc Consortium: Comprised of GSI Internacional Inc., IQtek Solutions, Muhlbauer, Ultra Tech, and Veridos.
ID Secure IDS Consortium: An alliance with...
Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza is in Japan on an official visit from 19 to 26 August 2025. The Ministry of Foreign Relations of Japan says he will participate on 23 August in the National Day Event of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan as an official guest of the Government of Japan.
The Ministry of the Presidency of the Dominican Republic explains that the spotlight on the country at National Day at the Osaka Expo is an opportunity to showcase a dynamic agenda of diplomatic, cultural, and economic promotion activities, highlighting the country’s identity, potential, and global outreach at one of the most significant international forums of the year.
The Dominican National Day program will include a flag-raising ceremony, official speeches, cultural performances, and visits to the Dominican and Japanese pavilions. The celebration will feature traditional Dominican...
Kenia Xiomara Guante Valdez and Minister Andres Bautista / El Caribe
The former president of the Public School Teachers Guild (ADP), Kenia Xiomara Guante Valdez was officially sworn in on Tuesday, 18 August 2025 as Vice Minister of Innovation, Transparency, and Citizen Services at the Administrative Ministry of the Presidency (MAPRE). Her appointment was made by Decree No. 461-25. She is remembered for the teacher strikes she organized when at the helm of the Public School Teachers Guild (ADP) during the Danilo Medina presidency.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the office of the Minister of the Presidency, Andrés Bautista, who administered the oath and praised Guante’s professional background. He expressed confidence in her ability to contribute meaningfully to the ministry’s mission.
“We are familiar with your track record and are certain that you will...
Angel David Taveras / el Dia
The InterAmerican Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) organization is holding its 34th General Assembly in Santo Domingo from 17 to 23 August 2025.
The InterAmerican Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) is a regional association of accreditation bodies and other organizations interested in conformity assessment in the Americas.
IAAC promotes cooperation among accreditation bodies and interested parties of the Americas, aiming at the development of conformity assessment structures to achieve the improvement of products, processes and services and to reduce risk for business and its customers by assuring them that accredited certificates may be relied upon. Accreditation assures users of the competence and impartiality of the accredited body.
26 countries are represented in the meeting. The event is organized by the Organismo Dominicano de...
An evangelical pastor from Los Alcarrizos was sentenced to ten years in prison on Tuesday, 18 August 2025 after a Santo Domingo court found him guilty of sexually assaulting several little girls and teenagers. Los Alcarrizos is a densely-populated low and middle income area located north of the capital city.
44-year old Johan Manuel Castillo Ortega was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of RD$100,000 to the state and RD$1 million in compensation to his victims.
Castillo Ortega, who preyed on six girls and teenagers, used his position as a religious leader to gain the trust of his victims. The assaults took place in the church where he preached and in his home.
Prosecutors Sugely Valdez, Francheska Alcántara, and Nicasio Pulinario presented evidence that led to the conviction. The prosecution’s case, led by investigator Olivia Sosa, showed that...
The Centro Cultural Taíno at the Casa del Cordón in the Colonial City is inviting to a talk on Wednesday, 20 August 2025 at 7pm on one of the most important cultural heritage artifacts left by the Taino indians that inhabited the island when the Spanish conquistadors arrived in 1492. The talk, titled “The Cotton Cemí: Unveiling Its Ancestral Mysteries,” will delve into the history, symbolism, and journey of the rare ceremonial artifact, the Bahoruco-found cotton cemí. There is no charge for attending the talk.
Discovered in the Bahoruco peninsula in the 19th Century, this preserved piece is now housed at the University of Turin in Italy. The cemí is one of the most enigmatic and spiritual expressions of the Taíno worldview, attracting attention from archaeologists, anthropologists, and scholars of Antillean culture worldwide.
The discussion will feature prominent...
Amarilys German / Diario Libre
Amarilys German of the Dominican Republic, the long-time right hand of Juan Luis Guerra, is one of four Leading Ladies honorees who will be celebrated during the Latin Grammy Week 2025. German is officially the Entertainment Executive and Manager to Latin Grammy- and Grammy-winning artist Juan Luis Guerra.
The three other 2025 honorees are Maricarmen “Tuti” Bou, vice president of Sony Music Entertainment in Puerto Rico; Paula Kaminsky, Managing Director at Global Talent Services US (GTS), a talent management agency; and Rozalén, Latin Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter.
The event precedes the grand gala of the 26th Annual Latin Grammy Awards that will be held on Thursday, 13 November 2025 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
A press release from the Latin Grammy organization explains that the Leading Ladies of...
President Luis Abinader used the platform of his weekly press conference, La Semanal on Monday, 18 August 2025, to present the achievements of the modernization of public television, RTVD under Ivan Ruiz, with Ellis Perez on the board. RTVD, Channel 4 in Santo Domingo, has been rebranded as a public TV station. RTVD is in its 73rd year.
President Abinader spoke of the sweeping modernization initiative at Radio Televisión Dominicana (RTVD), highlighting significant upgrades to infrastructure, studio equipment, and content production as part of a national effort to strengthen public broadcasting.
President Abinader said when he named TV producer Ivan Ruiz (El Show del Mediodia) to direct the transformation at RTVD, he had requested Ruiz adapt the Spanish public TV station model. He agreed to political independence in programming. Abinader is proud, he said...
Punta Catalina, the largest power generator in the country, was partially shut down on Monday, 18 August 2025 after a sudden influx of sargassum seaweed clogged its water intake. Punta Catalina is located in Azua, about an hour and a half drive west from the capital city.
The Empresa de Generación Eléctrica Punta Catalina (EGEPC) reported that Unit No. 1 of the Punta Catalina Thermoelectric Power Plant went offline at 6:25am. The plant administration explained that the massive accumulation of seaweed was a result of the rough weather conditions brought by Hurricane Erin.
The sargassum caused a drop in the unit’s circulating water level, prompting the shutdown as a protective measure.
While the plant’s operational capacity has been temporarily reduced, officials clarified that the incident has not led to any energy deficit in the national electrical grid.
Technical...
President Luis Abinader presented the new version of the National Anthem. The new recording replaces that recorded more than 20 years ago.
The new recording is by the national choir and the National Symphony Orchestra with the participation of Juan Luis Guerra and Jose Antonio Molina.
It had a cost of around RD$3.3 million.
The recording was made following recommendations of the Ministry of Culture, now under Minister Roberto Angel Salcedo, that determined it was about time to do a new version.
19 August 2025
More than 6,000 new businesses have been created in the Dominican Republic so far this year through the country’s One-Stop Window for Business Formalization, according to the Dominican Federation of Chambers of Commerce (Fedocámaras).
The organization reported that 6,050 companies were registered between January and August 2025. During the same period, 19 of the country’s 32 chambers of commerce have begun offering online services, a key milestone in the ongoing digital transformation of business registration.
Manuel Aníbal García Núñez, president of Fedocámaras and head of the Chamber of Commerce and Production of Hermanas Mirabal, said these developments are part of a broader strategy to digitize, standardize, and improve the quality of the commercial registry system. He noted that a new unified manual of registration criteria is currently being...
The next elections will be in 2028. It is expected, the JCE will soon begin purchasing new technology. A report in Diario Libre looks into the historic practice of mass purchasing of new, expensive equipment for each election. The sad part of the story is much of this equipment has been known not have worked as planned and is then stored away, also at a high cost to the institution.
Diario Libre reports that since 2008, the JCE has spent at least RD$3.45 billion on technology, including computers, printers, scanners, and other devices, for elections. Many of these devices, despite the significant investment, only served a single day’s use before being given away, loaned, or left to deteriorate.
The JCE has held 13 national and international bidding processes to acquire technology for presidential, congressional, and municipal elections over the past 15 years...
The president of the Dominican Medical Association (CMD), Dr. Waldo Ariel Suero, has called attention to the high unemployment rate among young doctors in the Dominican Republic, stating that between 15,000 and 20,000 recent medical graduates are currently out of work.
Speaking during a press event held in honor of Dominican Doctor’s Day, Dr. Suero described the situation as alarming and emphasized the urgent need for job opportunities in the health sector, particularly for new professionals entering the field.
“One of our biggest concerns right now is the significant level of unemployment among young doctors,” Suero said. “We’re talking about 15,000 to 20,000 unemployed physicians — that’s a serious issue.”
To address this, Suero proposed expanding primary healthcare services under the public health system’s subsidized regime. “The best way to generate employment...
The Superintendence of Health and Occupational Risks (SISARIL) has fined the Centro de Medicina Avanzada Dr. Abel González, S.A.S. RD$2,189,154.80 — equivalent to 101 national minimum wages—for failing to provide emergency care to two affiliates of the Dominican Social Security System during the Jet Set nightclub tragedy on 8 April 2025.
The administrative sanction, issued under Resolution DJ-GIS No. 0012-2025 on 13 August, stems from the medical center’s refusal to attend to Franklín Alberto Rodríguez Garabitos and Luis Thomas Graveley in the early hours of the incident.
According to SISARIL, the health center violated provisions of Administrative Resolution No. 00165-2009, Law 87-01 on Social Security, and related regulations, which mandate that affiliated patients must receive immediate emergency care regardless of administrative or financial concerns.
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María Isabel Torres Castellanos / Al Momento
In a surprising legal twist, the company Editorama, allegedly used as a front in a multimillion-dollar corruption scheme involving Alexis Medina Sánchez, was acquitted last Thursday, 14 August 2025 by the Second Collegiate Court of the National District, despite earlier court rulings implicating it in money laundering, Diario Libre reports.
Diario Libre explains that María Isabel de los Milagros Torres Castellanos, accused of acting as a frontwoman for Medina through Editorama, had previously been convicted in a separate, expedited trial. However, while Torres Castellanos was found guilty of laundering funds linked to companies owned by Medina — including Full American Inc Dominicana, Domedical Supply, and General Medical Solutions AM — the company itself has now been cleared of any wrongdoing.
This acquittal...
Once a symbol of opulence, Villa Caracola, an oceanfront estate allegedly tied to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, now stands in ruins in the exclusive Cap Cana resort in the Dominican Republic, Diario Libre reports. The multimillion-dollar property, located near Playa Juanillo, has been left to decay following its seizure by US authorities over alleged connections to corruption and drug trafficking networks.
Spanning over 3,000 square meters of construction on a 6,000-square-meter lot, the mansion was originally purchased for approximately US$13 million and later resold for US$18 million. The transaction involved Venezuelan businessman Samark José López Bello, designated by the U.S. Treasury Department as a frontman for former Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami and a key figure managing assets linked to Maduro.
Designed by the prestigious...
High surf and wind gusts caused the downing of several trees and impacted traffic along the northeastern coastal roads. As reported in Listin Diario, plantain trees in Las Galeras were impacted, causing damages to small farmers. As far south as Santo Domingo, the wind gusts and high surf were experienced. The government had issued a ban on small boats taking to sea for all of the country.
A catamaran yacht in Luperon Bay, likewise, was impacted by lightning that caused it to be severely damaged by fire, Listin Diario reports. A video confirmed the fire happened after the lightning struck.
The government has maintained red flags for beaches along the northeastern coasts and ordered small boats to stay in docks.
The most intense rains were felt in Oviedo (Pedernales) on the southwestern coast with 128 millimeters and in Cabrera (María Trinidad Sánchez), on the...
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