DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic
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The Dominican Republic is embarking on an ambitious fiscal consolidation path, projecting a record increase in government revenues alongside a gradual reduction of the fiscal deficit by 2028, El Dia reports citing Ministry of Hacienda and Economy sources. These efforts are anchored in a strategy to bolster tax collection efficiency and progressively roll back corporate subsidies.
The national focus is on sustainability, aiming to propel the nation toward an investment-grade sovereign credit rating within the next decade.
The country’s fiscal plan, detailed in the Ministry of Hacienda and Economy’s National Pluriannual Plan for the Public Sector 2025-2028, forecasts a massive injection of funds:• Total fiscal revenues are expected to jump from RD$1.24 billion in 2025 to RD$1.62 billion in 2028, an increase of over RD$376 billion.• This positive trend is primarily driven by actions to strengthen tax administration and enhance the efficiency of public revenue collection...
The Presidency says that President Luis Abinader himself will not attend COP30 from 6 to 21 November in Belem, Brazil. When a journalist asked about the Climate Change Summit during the press conference of Monday, 3 November, the President had said he would be there.
But by Tuesday, the director for strategic communications of the Presidency, Felix Reyna shared a note saying the President would not travel to Brazil because he had to remain in the DR to attend to other matters.
The DR is likely to be represented by Max Puig, the president of the National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market. Puig is a former Minister of Environment. When in Brazil for the Pre-COP30, on 16 October 2025, he stated that the climate agenda has become a fundamental axis for driving economic and social transformation processes in countries.
President Luis Abinader had remarked the DR would present the same complaint of years: that small island nations barely contaminate (0.01%), while...
The president of the Senate, Ricardo de los Santos (PRM-Sanchez Ramirez), has emphatically stated that the Dominican Republic currently lacks the economic conditions to authorize the indexing of salaries, effectively dismissing a bill introduced by opposition senator Omar Fernández (Fuerza del Pueblo – National District) aimed at relieving the tax burden on lower-income workers, as reported in Hoy.
The Fernandez proposal, which seeks to index the Income Tax (ISR) for monthly incomes up to RD$52,000, was met with immediate resistance from lawmakers of the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM). Given the PRM’s absolute majority in the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, their opposition signals a high probability that the bill will not pass.
Senator De los Santos explained that while Fernández’s proposal “is very well received by society,” the nation’s fiscal reality prevents its immediate implementation. He hinted that the measure might have been feasible had a...
President Luis Abinader has vetoed (observed) the Solid Waste Management Law approved by the National Congress. The objective of the observations is to create a balance that guarantees free enterprise while prioritizing the care of the environment and natural resources.
Among the modifications proposed by the President:• Single-use plastic and foam phase-out: A 12-month period for the phase-out of single-use plastics and foam is. proposed. • Exceptions for foam: An exception is made for plates with integrated lids (popularly known as “laptop” containers) and trays, as they currently lack economically competitive substitutes. A longer 24-month period was granted for phasing out these specific items.• Plastic bag fee: A 12-month period is proposed to begin charging for non-biodegradable plastic bags in commercial establishments. During this time, businesses must run awareness campaigns to promote the substitution of these bags with reusable or eco-friendly alternatives.• Import...
The Ministry of Culture on 22 October 2025 announced the start of the implementation of the Unesco-backed ArtSecure initiative to guarantee social rights for the cultural sector, reduce vulnerability caused by informality, and strengthen the creative economy through a regulatory framework tailored to the needs of artists.
A press release from Unesco explains that the project “ArtSecure: A Comprehensive Social Security Framework for Artists and the Cultural Sector in the Dominican Republic” is now underway. This initiative, led by the Ministry of Culture, is supported by Unesco’s technical assistance and funded by the European Union.
The process is supported by a team of experts, including a national specialist and a member of Unesco’s Expert Group, both with extensive experience in cultural and creative industries and policy development.
The effort seeks to lay the foundations for a new inter-institutional capacity in the country to manage a social security subsystem...
The Dominican Republic is on track to record its lowest birth rate in two decades this year, a sharp decline that appears to be directly linked to new government restrictions on healthcare services for Haitian mothers, Diario Libre reports.
Official statistics from the Central Electoral Board (JCE) show that as of 2 November 2025, total registered births stood at 148,722, nearly 10,000 fewer than the same period in 2024.
The decline is acutely pronounced among foreign nationals. Registrations of foreign-born children plummeted by 8,176 this year, falling from 20,502 to just 12,326 in the same period.
This drop coincides with the government’s implementation of a new hospital protocol in April 2025, which restricts maternity care for Haitian women—a move aimed at curbing what authorities refer to as “birth tourism” from the neighboring country. The new protocols allow for foreign nationals arriving to emergency rooms to give birth to do so, but these are subsequently...
The National Union of Firefighters (Unabon) is demanding that the President and the National Congress update the National Firefighters Law 51-10, which has been in effect since 1912. Their goal is to modernize the legal framework governing the fire-extinction service and secure significant improvements in their working conditions.
Firefighters are claiming their institutional “birth certificate” and a regulation that supports them in the face of unpredictable emergencies.
Unabon representatives held a press conference to request the update of the more than 113-year-old law. The head of the organization, Luis Elías Esmurdoc, explained that the current regulation “no longer responds to the current needs of the firefighters nor to the working conditions they face in the 21st century” to guarantee better service to the population.
The new draft bill, which has already been submitted and reintroduced to the National Congress, includes provisions for:Salary...
Former Minister of Agriculture, Luis Ramón Rodríguez, has sharply criticized the government’s official figures regarding agricultural losses following Tropical Storm Melissa, labeling the reported volume of damages as “exaggerated.” He further cautioned that the declaration of a state of emergency can be used to allow the state-owned insurer, Agrodosa, to avoid paying claims to affected farmers, as reported in Diario Libre.
Rodríguez questioned the “accelerated response” by the government, arguing that natural disaster assessments typically require a technical protocol that takes seven to eight days to complete, not the rapid timeline officials followed.
The former minister alleged that a state of emergency declaration would exempt the Dominican Agricultural Insurance Company (Agrodosa) from its financial obligations.
“If a state of emergency is declared, Agrodosa is exempted from paying damages. So, that could also be the intention,” Luis Ramón Rodríguez stated.
He...
The Dominican Republic’s National Police (Policía Nacional) officially rolled out its new uniform design this Tuesday, 4 November 2025, an update the institution says is central to its ongoing “reform, modernization, and transformation” plan. The institution stressed that the change is not just aesthetic, but fundamentally structural.
The color choice is explained. 90% of police forces worldwide use the color blue. The blue color is a statement of being aligned with international police standards to change the citizen perception.
The new uniforms introduce a clear visual hierarchy and functional features:Administrative officers: Personnel from second lieutenant up to general, engaged in administrative duties, will wear white shirts (both long and short sleeve).Enlisted personnel: Those from private up to sergeant major will utilize navy blue shirts.Street operations: Officers working in the field will wear a blue uniform featuring a “checkerboard” pattern strip (cinta de...
The Dominican Republic will carry out a national exercise to boost institutional and community preparedness in the case of an earthquake. The Great National Earthquake Evacuation Drill is scheduled for this Wednesday, 5 November at 10am and is coordinated by the Emergency Operations Center (COE).
The nationwide exercise is a critical effort to strengthen the country’s collective capacity to respond effectively to a significant seismic event.
Leonardo Reyes Madera, director of the National Office of Seismic Assessment and Infrastructure Vulnerability (Onesvie), emphasized the crucial role of such drills in reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing response capabilities across institutions and the general population.
“These types of exercises allow us to measure the effectiveness of our protocols, correct weaknesses, and foster a life-saving culture of prevention,” Reyes Madera stated.
The drill is designed to encourage citizens to refine their emergency plans, promote...
Cooler evenings and chilly early mornings are forecast for the weeks to come, says meteorologist Jean Suriel.
Scattered showers are forecast, as the country is still under the effect of a passing trough that is moving to the north.
By Thursday, 6 November, it should be sunny in most of the country, as the country enters a long weekend period, with Monday, 10 November being a national holiday — Constitution Day.
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The Dominican Republic is returning to normalcy. The Emergency Operations Center (COE) officially has discontinued the green alert for rains across the remaining four provinces, a precaution that had been in place for two weeks amid intense precipitation, Diario Libre reports.
COE director Juan Manuel Méndez announced Tuesday, 4 November 2025 that improved weather conditions have allowed the lifting of the weather alert, which was initially issued due to the threat of overflowing rivers, streams, and sudden flooding.
The last provinces to be removed from green alert status are Monte Plata, Barahona, Peravia, and San Cristóbal. Méndez confirmed that climate conditions have stabilized in these areas.
In a further move toward full operational status, the COE also lifted all restrictions on the country’s coasts. Based on a marine report from the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (Indomet), conditions have significantly improved in both the Caribbean and Atlantic waters...
The New York Knicks defeated the Washington Wizards, 119-102 on the evening of Monday, 3 November 2025 and it was all about the accuracy of Karl Anthony Towns when playing at the Madison Square Garden. He finished the game with a team-high 33 points along with 13 rebounds and five assists for the Knicks.
Karl Anthony Towns is the son of a Dominican mother and has played for the Dominican national basketball team in numerous occasions on the international championship arena.
Towns picked up steam halfway in the Monday game, and fellow players began passing him the ball. Due to his stellar participation, the Knicks went from being behind 9 points to leading by three points at halftime.
The Knicks improved their record to 4-3 with the win, while the Wizards fall to 1-6 for the season.
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Biviana Riveiro, Executive Director of Pro Dominicana / Presidency
In a global climate marked by uncertainty, the Dominican Republic is emerging as a beacon of stability and strategic leadership, attracting a record-breaking flow of foreign investment and enhancing its reputation as one of the most competitive and dynamic destinations in Latin America.
President Luis Abinader announced during the Monday, 3 November 2025 press conference that the Dominican Republic is increasingly strengthening its position among Latin American nations that generate the highest confidence and attract the largest volume of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025 highlights a continued decline in global foreign direct investment (FDI), driven by factors like trade tensions, geopolitical uncertainty, and high interest rates, overall FDI has been up...
The Dominican government announced on 3 November 2025 the decision to postpone the 10th Summit of the Americas until next year, citing a careful analysis of the current regional situation. The Summit would have been held during the first week of December in Punta Cana.
Bloomberg had reported that only three Latin American and Caribbean heads of government had announced they would attend the heads of government meetings of the Summit.
The move, which was reportedly consensus-driven, involved close consultation with key partners, including the United States, the forum’s original proponent, and other essential nations. Representatives from major international organizations involved in the Summit’s organization, such as the secretary-general of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the president of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), were also consulted, the Ministry...
President Luis Abinader announced he would travel to Belem, Brazil to be present for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). He made the announcement responding to a journalist question during the La Semanal press conference. He said he would be participating with the block of Caribbean small island states that will again call for support as victims of climate change damages caused by developed nations.
COP30 will take place 10 to 21 November 2025. The President did not specify the dates of the trip.
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President Luis Abinader said the government will draft a detailed report on the use of emergency funds and contracting to repair and provide relief for damages caused by recent heavy rains. The government recently declared emergency state status for 14 provinces to expedite contracting. Speaking during the weekly press conference, the President said the funds would assist in repairs to school and road infrastructure damages by the intense rains.
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Public Health Minister Victor Atallah traveled to San Francisco, California to present the Dominican Republic’s comprehensive national strategy against dengue at the American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Convention 2025. The country is reporting a dramatic reduction in cases and zero deaths so far in 2025.
Health Minister Víctor Atallah delivered the presentation, marking the first time a Dominican government minister has participated in the prestigious convention. Atallah detailed how a combination of prevention, control, and widespread educational campaigns led to an over 80% drop in case incidence and effectively eliminated dengue-related fatalities this year.
The need for a robust response became evident in early 2024 following a significant surge in cases. This motivated the design and implementation of the National Plan for Dengue...
Senator Omar Fernández (Fuerza del Pueblo – National District) has submitted a resolution urging the President to instruct the Tax Agency (DGII) to implement the legally mandated indexation of the income tax (ISR) for salaries up to RD$52,000 per month. Fernández argues this is a necessary act of “fiscal justice” that would benefit approximately 720,000 workers, as reported by Noticias SIN.
The last time wages were indexed was in 2017 during the first year of the government of President Danilo Medina (PLD). The general tax law orders the annual indexing of wages to adjust these for inflation.
The proposal, deposited on Monday, 3 November 2025, specifically seeks compliance with Article 327 of the Tax Code, which requires the automatic indexation of the tax-exempt income bracket to counteract inflation. This adjustment, the senator noted, has been successively suspended in...
The Central Electoral Board that handles the official document registry in the Dominican Republic reminds all that the Dominican Constitution does not recognize same-sex marriages. Any same sex wedding officiated in the Dominican Republic is symbolic.
The opinion is issued after former US Ambassador Wally Brewster carried out a symbolic marriage of two same sex persons at a hotel in Santiago de los Caballeros.
The Central Electoral Board (JCE) of the Dominican Republic issued the public clarification on Sunday, 3 November 2025, asserting that only marriages between a man and a woman are recognized under the nation’s legal framework.
The statement follows a social media post by former US ambassador to the country, Wally Brewster, who published an image on his Instagram account claiming to have officiated a same-sex wedding in the city of...
Public health officials in eastern La Altagracia province have launched an intensive, door-to-door anti-rabies vaccination campaign targeting 60,000 dogs and cats in a critical effort to protect both animal and human health, as reported in Diario Libre.
The Provincial Health Agency (DPS) of La Altagracia initiated the free vaccination drive on 31 October 2025, and it is scheduled to run through 7 November. Rabies is a fatal viral disease that affects both animals and humans, making the mass vaccination a vital preventive measure.
The goal is to vaccinate over 60,000 pets through a massive house-to-house operation. In addition to the mobile teams, three fixed posts have been established at strategic locations: the Provincial Health Agency office, the Health Park (Parque de la Salud), and the Anamelia Park (Parque de Anamelia).
Wendy Castillo, the...
Weather conditions are expected to improve this week after the passing of Tropical Storm Melissa and the follow-up tropical wave and trough that brought more intense rains. The Center for Emergency Operations (COE) says that San Jose de Ocoa and Barahona continue under emergency conditions, with school classes yet to resume because of the continuing rains and flooding threat and need for repairs.
The official report from the Weather Institute (Indomet) is for the trough system to continue to trigger rain, but the system is gradually moving off the island.
As of the morning of 4 November 2025, only four provinces continue under a green weather alert. These are Monte Plata, Peravia, San Cristobal and Barahona for saturation of the ground.
Indomet in its forecast for 4 November states that the Dominican Republic is bracing for a period of unsettled weather as a persistent...
Fernando Tatis Jr. has been named the best defensive right fielder in Major League Baseball National League. The announcement tells of the versatility of Tatis who in 2023 had played shortstop instead of in the outfield.
Tatis Jr. won his second National League Gold Glove award for the 2025 MLB season, joining Tony Gwynn, Dave Winfield, Steve Finley, and Trent Grisham as the only Padres outfielders to take home multiple awards.
Tatis led all NL right fielders last season with +15 DRS, and his +8 OAA trailed only the +9 produced by Arizona’s Corbin Carroll. Known for his cannon of an arm even from his days at short, Tatis was tied for fifth with an average arm strength of 95.5 mph.
Constitution Day this 2025 falls on a Thursday, and the Ministry of Labor reminds all that on its holiday calendar the official holiday has been moved to Monday, 10 November 2025, creating a long weekend.
People should plan accordingly to avoid being caught in traffic as vacationers leave the urban cities for beach and mountain destinations.
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The Zemi Miches All-Inclusive Resorts has officially opened its doors, marking a significant step in establishing Miches as a premier, sustainable, and differentiated tourism destination. Miches is a new destination located about a one-hour drive north of Punta Cana International Airport on the eastern beach strip.
The luxury resort was inaugurated on Wednesday, 29 October 2025 in a ceremony led by President Luis Abinader, who highlighted the resort’s future impact on Miches’ economic development and professional training. The resort will operate under the Curio Collection by Hilton brand.
“There is no better place to invest in all of Latin America than the Dominican Republic,” the President asserted, reaffirming the government’s strong commitment to supporting public-private partnerships for large-scale projects like Zemí.
The Zemí Miches...
The North Coast destination of Puerto Plata recently rolled out the red carpet for a major “Mega Fam & Press Trip,” a strategic initiative led by Copa Airlines and its vacation arm, Copa Vacations, to aggressively market the destination across Latin America.
The campaign, organized in close coordination with the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur), the Puerto Plata Destination Tourist Cluster, and the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Tourist Companies of the North (Ashonorte), aimed to showcase the multifaceted attractions that make Puerto Plata a complete, versatile, and dynamic travel hotspot.
A comprehensive itinerary was crafted to blend adventure, nature, culture, and signature Dominican hospitality. Guests were immersed in adrenaline-pumping experiences at Chukka Caribbean Adventures and the famed 27 Waterfalls of Damajagua, followed by an...
Santo Domingo is included in the Sea Cloud II luxury tall ship cruises for 2026 and 2027.
The Colonial City is a high point for the 22 December 2026 to 4 January 2027 13-night Christmas and New Year holiday sail. The fares start at US$11,125 per person all inclusive.
The holiday sail begins in Bridgetown, Barbados and concludes in Santo Domingo. There are stops in St. Lucia, St. Barthlemy, Virgin Gorda (The Baths), among other islands.
The Sea Cloud II has capacity for 94 guests and 65 crew in its 29,000 square feet with three masts.
Read more about Sea Cloud luxury cruises: Sea Cloud Sea Cloud Catalogue
4 November 2025
With the launch of its JaxPort operations last week, Norwegian Cruise Line will be sailing the Norwegian Gem (refurbished 2022 with capacity for 2,344 pax) from November 2025 through April 2028, with itineraries to the Caribbean that includes the Dominican Republic.
Jaxport, a popular drive-to-cruise market, joins Miami and Port Canaveral as the third Florida port for NCL. Norwegian Gem is sailing 11- and 12-day Caribbean voyages exploring a mix of destinations including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Antigua, and the US Virgin Islands, among others.
An 11-day Norwegian Gem Caribbean cruise starts at $749 per person.
A popular drive-to cruise market, Jacksonville, Fla. is within a one-day drive of more than 98 million consumers. The Jaxport Cruise Terminal offers convenient on-site parking and is located near Jacksonville International Airport and major interstates...
The Dominican Republic Tourism Office in Toronto, Canada has reported on the recent welcoming of 35 travel agents to its local office for an exclusive presentation on MSC Cruises, according to Canadian government-funded Travel Week Canada.
The event highlighted MSC’s upcoming winter 2026 cruise departures from the Dominican Republic’s Port of La Romana onboard MSC Opera.
Tammy Thompson, MSC Cruises’ BDM in Ontario, led the presentation and shared updates and strategic plans for the Caribbean market, noting the “high demand from Canada for non-U.S. ports.”
There was strong applause for MSC Cruises’ expanding offerings from La Romana. MSC will offer more than half a dozen different itineraries from the popular southeastern Dominican cruise port.
Starting in November 2026 and running through November 2027, MSC Opera will offer 7-night Caribbean &...
Merchants, restaurants, and artisans are welcoming the month of November since it represents the beginning of the “season” of cruise ship arrivals at Amber Cove and Taino Bay cruise ship terminals. Amber Cove mainly caters to Carnival Cruise ships and is located in Maimon, about 15 minutes west of Puerto Plata city. Taino Bay is located in the historic district of Puerto Plata.
Just this month, 49 ships are expected to berth at these two tourist ports. So far this year, 1.62 million tourists have arrived in Puerto Plata, about 81% of all cruise line arrivals. Last year, nearly 2.2 million persons arrived at the two ports in Puerto Plata, fully 80% of the sea-borne tourists in the Dominican Republic.
Read more in...
Sixty-seven cruise ships are expected to dock in Puerto Plata’s two cruise ship terminals this November 2025, marking the second-highest total of the year, as reported in Diario Libre.
The Dominican Republic is set to bolster its maritime tourism sector with the arrival of ten new cruise ships making their inaugural calls to the country’s various port terminals, the Dominican Port Authority (Apordom) recently announced.
The introduction of these vessels underscores the nation’s growing appeal as a premier Caribbean destination.
The cruise ships visiting the Dominican Republic for the first time include:• Aida SOL (Aida Cruises)• Cel Xcel (Celebrity Cruises)• Brilliant Lady (Virgin Voyages)• Brilliant OTS (MSC Cruises)• Rhapsody (Royal Caribbean)• Carnival Legend (Carnival Cruise Line)• Majestic Princess and Coral Princess (Princess Cruises)• NCL Getaway and NCL Joy...
In a swift governmental response to widespread damage, President Luis Abinader has enacted Decrees 626-25 and 627-25, placing 14 provinces and several other areas of the country under a state of emergency following the passing of Tropical Storm Melissa.
The key objective of the emergency declaration is to expedite and facilitate urgent government purchases and contracts essential for the immediate relief, repair, and reconstruction efforts. The declaration of emergency reduces the requirements needed for procurement transactions.
Decree 626-25 officially classifies the scale of the destruction caused by the tropical storm as regional damage.
Crucially, Decree 627-25 establishes a national emergency status for all procurement and contracting of goods, services, and works by state institutions. This legislative measure bypasses standard procedures to quickly channel...
President Luis Abinader was in northeastern San Francisco de Macoris on Sunday, 2 November 2025 for the inauguration of the Dr. Ángel María Gatón Regional University Hospital, described as the state-of-the-art medical complex that is now the most complete and advanced regional hospital in the country.
The construction of the hospital generated approximately 5,900 direct jobs, providing a significant boost to the local economy in Duarte province.
The new center, boasting 329 beds (294 for hospitalization and 35 for intensive care) is expected to significantly bolster healthcare services across the entire Northeast region.
The facility replaces the San Vicente de Paúl Public Hospital. The Presidency says the hospital was built to the highest international quality and structural safety standards, featuring seismic damping systems and...
President Luis Abinader officially opened the Vallejuelo–Batista, Vallejuelo–Río Arriba Sur and Los Arroyos–Sabaneta roads on Saturday, 1 November 2025. The infrastructure projects were executed by the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (Egehid), as part of its corporate social responsibility program. EgeHid is a public-private corporation. The roads are set to impact 18,000 rural residents in the San Juan de la Maguana province.
Egehid Administrator Rafael Salazar said the new roads are a cornerstone of a broader effort to expand necessary infrastructure for the region’s productive development, which is critical for the nation’s water resources, energy supply, and agricultural output.
Salazar noted that the projects are part of the state-owned company’s Corporate Social Responsibility Program, aimed at bringing tangible solutions and development to...
Arajet announced free repatriation and relief bringing flights for Dominicans impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica. Arajet offers regular service to Jamaica that is now suspended. Arajet has also announced that passengers booked on flights to and from Jamaica will be able to reschedule their travel at no additional cost for the next 15 days.
The first relief flight was on Saturday, 1 November 2025. A second flight is scheduled for Tuesday, 4 November.
The director of Social Assistance and Community Food (DASAC) of the Dominican government oversaw the Arajet air cargo of 1.5 million food rations, mattresses, sheets, towels, blankets, mosquito nets, and other assistance to Jamaica, the island that bore the brunt of Melissa’s Cat. 5 fury.
The Presidency announced the signing of a humanitarian agreement with the airline. The initiative is part of Abinader administration’s backing of...
The Central Bank of the Dominican Republic (BCRD) has lowered its monetary policy rate (MPR) by 25 basis points (bps), dropping the benchmark from 5.50% to 5.25% annually following its October 2025 monetary policy meeting.
The cut comes to stimulate the economy that is now anticipated to close 2025 with a growth of approximately 2.5%, with a projected return to its potential pace of 4.0% to 5.0% in 2026, supported by coordinated monetary and fiscal policies.
The move, aimed at stimulating domestic demand, comes as the Central Bank projects local inflation will remain anchored within its target range of 4.0% ± 1.0% and global financial conditions continue to ease. The permanent liquidity expansion facility (1-day Repos) rate was also reduced from 6.00% to 5.75%, while the overnight remunerated deposit rate was kept unchanged at 4.50%.
The Central Bank explains the...
Cleary Gottlieb was the US firm that represented the Dominican Republic in its Rule 144A/Reg S offering of US$1.6 billion aggregate principal amount of 5.875% bonds due 2035.
The transaction priced on 22 October 2025, and closed on 28 October 2025.
The offering marked the 27th time the Dominican Republic has tapped the international debt markets. Cleary has represented the sovereign in connection with each offering.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC acted as initial purchasers.
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Moises Ferrer Landron, Pilar Jimenez Ortiz and Manuel Alexis Read Ortiz / Diario Libre
After a delay of more than a month, the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) has published the minutes of its evaluation meetings on its official website, detailing the rationale behind the controversial decision, Diario Libre reports. The documents provide a comprehensive look at the process used to assess the performances in the three cases of judges that were not confirmed.
President Luis Abinader used his deciding vote to untie the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM) in the cases of Pilar Jimenez Ortiz and Moises Ferrer Landron who sought to be confirmed for a second term. Performance considerations were cited.
There was a vote of six against and two in favor in the case of Manuel Alexis Read Ortiz who had only two years to reach retirement age...
Local media reported the arrival of named US ambassador Leah Francis Campos on Thursday, 30 October 2025. Her arrival had been postponed because of the passing of Tropical Storm Melissa.
She has yet to present credentials to Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and then to President Luis Abinader to formally begin her term in the Dominican Republic. Her predecessor is Robin Bernstein, who left at the end of the first Trump administration in January 2020.
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The Dominican Republic’s Public Ministry, through the Public Prosecution Department, has filed formal charges against Isidoro Rotestán Clase, alias “el Men,” and 12 other individuals newly implicated in the international drug trafficking network dismantled last year during the extensive Operation Búfalo NK, the Attorney General Office reports.
The indictment, presented before the Coordinating Office of the Instruction Courts of the National District, signals a significant expansion of the case. It was submitted by Assistant Prosecutor Wilson Camacho, head of the Public Ministry’s Prosecution Department, alongside court prosecutor Hector García Acevedo and prosecutors Miguel Collado, Enmanuel Ramirez, and Jonathan Perez Fulcar.
The initial phase of the investigation saw ten people accused, with nine already convicted after pleading guilty through abbreviated proceedings.
The...
Oscar Chalas Guerrero / El Día
In a major development in the sprawling Operation Calamar corruption case, the former director of the Casinos Department at the Ministry of Hacienda, Oscar Chalas Guerrero, has admitted his participation in the alleged criminal structure and detailed its modus operandi before Judge Altagracia Ramírez of the Fourth Court of Instruction of the National District.
Chalas Guerrero, one of the key defendants, confirmed the charges brought by the Public Ministry (MP) during the preliminary hearing.
The admission by Chalas Guerrero is reportedly part of a negotiated plea agreement with the Public Ministry, aiming for a reduction in his potential sentence. The prosecution expects the admission will help move the case forward, potentially strengthening their position against the other high-ranking officials implicated.
During his testimony, Chalas...
Angely Moreno / Hoy
Beyond its veneer of entertainment, Alofoke’s House 2 has transformed into a genuine social experiment where, almost unintentionally, key structural problems of Dominican society are exposed, Angely Moreno writes for Hoy. She explains how each character, with his/her history, educational level, relationship style, and reaction to conflict, represents a fragment of the local reality that Dominicans often ignore, but which is latent in all social spheres of the country.
She writes that Alofoke’s House 2 is not just a reality show: it is a mirror where the deepest challenges of Dominican society are reflected, crudely and unfiltered—alcoholism, violence, gender inequality, the educational gap, and the frustration of a middle class caught between aspiration and the lack of opportunity.
Alcohol: The catalyst for violenceMoreno explains that one of the most evident...
Without doubt, the World Series 2025 game seven reaped viewer peak ratings as Dominicans tuned in to watch. There were two Dominican players on each of the rosters of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, the World Series 2025.
The teams delivered a true championship game and it took the Los Angeles Dodgers 10 innings to reap the trophy with a 5-4 win.
Right fielder Teoscar Hernandez and left fielder Esteury Ruiz will be wearing their 2025 World Series rings. A second time for Hernandez who was with the team in the 2024 win.
There will still be time for first baseman and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr to have another shot at being part of a winning World Series team. Without doubt, he had the hearts of Dominicans, slanted in favor of a Blue Jays win to see when Guerrero would deliver the ring to his father, the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of...
With Tropical Storm Melissa behind us, a Friday, 31 October 2025 Aguilas del Cibao and Tigres del Licey game packed the Quisqueya Ball Park. The Aguilas spoiled the night for the capital city fans when that much-awaited game ended 3-0.
The Aguilas are leading the Professional Winter Baseball Championship followed by the Tigres del Escogido Lions and the Toros del Este, both 3.5 games behind.
The 2025-2026 championship got off to a slow start as intense rains of recent weeks forced several cancellations.
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The Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo was the stage of the first half of the semi-final series between the Cibao FC and O&M FC to decide the finalist for the Caribbean Cup 2025. The game, played intensely, was a 1-1 draw.
The Cibao team, five-time Dominican champion and last year’s runner-up in the Caribbean Cup, scored first on a very good play by Che Trinidad at the 3-minute mark. Further attempts were stymied by the stiff O&M defense. At the 25-minute mark Herard Franzetys recorded a penalty goal for O&M.
The game continued with steady play and no mistakes by either side. However, Leonardo Villalba of Cibao was given a direct red card at the 76-minute mark and Cibao had to play with just 10 men for the last 24 minutes (plus adjusted down tie). The last intense minutes saw O&M with at least two good chances but excellent play by the porter Edwin...
The Dominican Republic will continue on Thursday, 30 October 2025 feeling the sequel of the intense Hurricane Melissa, now a Category 2 storm as it moves to the Bahamas.
Despite its distant track, the remnants of Hurricane Melissa are fueling a weather pattern that will continue to bring significant rain, thunderstorms, and potential flooding to the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 30 October and Friday, 31 October 2025, the Weather Institute (Indomet) reports.
Melissa has been a deadly storm, with reports of at least 20 deaths in Haiti, four in Jamaica and one confirmed in the Dominican Republic in addition to billions in infrastructure and property damages.
Now a Category 2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, Hurricane Melissa is located approximately 345 km northeast of the central Bahamas. The system is accelerating...
The rains and outer bands of Tropical Storm Melissa delivered a massive blow to the nation’s economy, with estimated daily losses potentially soaring above RD$17 billion, Diario Libre reports. The economic fallout, fueled by widespread production halts and business closures, is sending shockwaves across consumption, production, and commerce sectors, according to alarming reports from leading economists and business groups.
The Autonomous University of Santo Domingo’s (UASD) Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences calculated a production deficit of more than RD$10 billion per day due to the official suspension of activities for four days – from Wednesday, 23 to 25 October 2025, with the exception of a handfall of provinces on the north coast. Small retailers and businesses are facing a cumulative loss of RD$550 million, as reported by the National Council of Merchants...
The US State Department and US Better Business Bureau (BBB) have issued warnings about scams targeting residents and donors in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. Melissa caused billions for flooding, agriculture losses and commercial shutdown in the Dominican Republic. Haiti is reported 25 deaths, and wipe out in Jamaica and Cuba.
The US Better Business Bureau (BBB) alerts scammers often exploit the chaos and emotions surrounding natural disasters to steal money or personal information. It urges people to verify organizations before donating.
It says that common scams to watch for are:Fake charities: Fraudulent websites or social media pages mimicking legitimate disaster relief organizations.
AI-generated scams: Scammers use artificial intelligence to create convincing fake images and videos to solicit donations.
Crowdfunding scams: Unverified campaigns on social...
The Superintendence of Private Watchmen and Security (Superintendencia de Vigilancia y Seguridad Privada – SVP) is urgently calling on the National Congress to pass a pending bill that would allow it to impose significant sanctions and fines on private security companies that violate regulations, Diario Libre reports. The call comes as the agency reveals that major irregularities, including the hiring of undocumented Haitian workers and the use of unregistered firearms, are rampant in the sector.
According to José Alberto Hernández Rivera, the deputy director of Operations for the SVP, the agency conducted 454 inspections across the country up to August, uncovering a pattern of illegal activity.
Hernández Rivera, speaking at the XVI International Conference on Security and Defense, detailed several alarming findings...
A recently released audit by the Chamber of Accounts looks into purchases made by the National Health Insurance Company (Senasa) during the second Danilo Medina administration.
During the current Abinader administration, the director of Senasa, Santiago Hazim, recently resigned amidst findings of major corruption within the government health insurance.
The recent audit carried out by the Chamber of Accounts reveals significant irregularities in years back. The Chamber of Accounts has yet to present any findings of auditing into the Hazim administration. The findings for 2017 to 2019 are of irregularities in transactions for over a billion pesos, N Digital reports looking into the details provided by the disclosed audits.
The National Health Insurance (Senasa) is now facing scrutiny after the audit by the Chamber of Accounts (CCRD) flagged improper accounting adjustments totaling...
Public prosecutors of the Attorney General Office have released the findings in the accusations of the investigations into National Transit and Transport Institute (Intrant) operations and these point to widespread institutional weakness and lack of government supervision to impede the major and continuing scams that have impacted the entity.
The prosecutors are looking into the network of companies related to Jose Angel Gomez (Jochi) and reveal that DeKolor (that had the contract for issuing the Dominican driver licenses), Transcore Latam (that had the contract for new traffic lights for Santo Domingo), Aurix and Pago RDXchange generated irregularly sourced resources and these were siphoned off to OML Investments.
The preliminary public prosecution investigations in the case, named Cameleon, look into irregularities after Rafael Arias Ramirez, a high-ranking officer of the...
WhatsApp is pulling the plug on vintage smartphones. This will impact many in the DR.
In the Dominican Republic, it is a general practice that dependants and househelp inherit smartphones when these are changed by the owners. Some smartphones are so good they continue to work for years after the makers remove tech support.
The suspension will hit popular, older lines from major manufacturers, including Samsung, Motorola, LG, Huawei, Sony, and HTC. Users with any of the following models are urged to check their chat backups and plan for an upgrade.
CDN reminds its readers and listeners that Whatsapp, the most used communication via in the country, is withdrawing support on 31 October 2025 through November on cell phones mentioned below. Whatsapp explains this is to prioritize modern security and performance standards.
The measure primarily targets legacy devices—some more than a...
New York Mets slugger and one of Major League Baseball’s highest-paid stars, Juan Soto, made a surprise appearance at the San Felipe Port in Puerto Plata on Monday, 27 October 2025. El Nuevo Diario reports that it wasn’t for a baseball exhibition.
The 25-year-old Dominican-born outfielder was at the port’s Customs Agency to personally handle the paperwork and pay the requisite import taxes for a luxury vehicle shipped from the United States: a high-end, special-edition Mercedes-Benz G 500 (G-Wagon).
The vehicle—a cream-colored, 2026 model year SUV—is a collector’s item. It features a powerful 3,000 CC, six-cylinder turbo engine, automatic transmission, and 4WD Full-Time capability. Significantly, it is part of a special production run with only 450 units ever manufactured. El Nuevo Diario says it has a price tag of US$286,000.
Throughout his 10...
Enjoy the timeless music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart performed by the Santo Domingo Philharmonic Orchestra on Tuesday, 4 November 2025 at 8:30pm. Amaury Sanchez is the orchestra conductor. The Todo Mozart concert will delight audiences with Mozart’s The Magic Flute Overture, Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 23 in A Major, and the Symphony No. 41 Jupiter. The guest soloist is award-winning pianist Antonio Pompa Baldi. The concert will be at the Carlos Piantini Hall of the National Theater.
Tickets are RD$890 to RD$2,290 and can be purchased online.
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The French-Dominican Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFD) is gearing up to host the Semana de Francia 2025 (France Week) in Santo Domingo, the premier business forum aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two nations. This year the event will take place 12 to 15 November at the JW Marriott Hotel at the Blue Mall in the National District.
This year’s event will focus on the timely theme of “Blue Economy and Smart Cities.” Organizers anticipate drawing over 800 business leaders, investors, and high-level authorities for the four-day event.
The event brings together the governments of France and the Dominican Republic, along with more than 800 participants, including business leaders, investors, and institutional representatives.
The program features conferences, networking sessions, B2B meetings, a trade fair, and cultural experiences...
Despite prevailing adverse global conditions, the real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by an accumulated 2.2% from January to September 2025. This is well below the 4-5% GDP growth that has been the normal for the Dominican Republic in the past. Governor Hector Valdez Albizu speaking during the anniversary celebrations for the Central Bank expressed optimism for a stronger outlook, forecasting a gradual return to the nation’s full economic potential.
“The Dominican economy is expected to gradually return to its potential growth in the coming quarters, as global uncertainty dissipates, private investment reactivates, and public sector capital expenditure increases,” the Governor said.
One of the reasons is that the Dominican Republic continues to shine as a premier destination for foreign investment, with direct investment reaching US$4 billion from January to September...
Román Andrés Jáquez Liranzo / Junta Central Electoral
The president of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Román Andrés Jáquez Liranzo, firmly rejects the use of alternate IDs for voting.
Jaquez Liranzo said that the cédula de identidad y electoral is the sole document with constitutional standing and the only one authorized for Dominicans to cast their ballots in national elections, both domestically and within the Dominican community abroad.
“With all due respect to the state powers, especially the Legislative Branch, the JCE radically opposes the use of any document other than the identity and electoral card to exercise the right to vote. It is the only document mentioned constitutionally, no other can be used, and this is what we will uphold,” he stated.
The JCE president’s remarks addressed concerns raised by Dominicans residing abroad during...
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