DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

President Luis Abinader said during his Monday press conference on 29 September 2025 that it is likely the mandate for the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti would be extended through December 2025.

Abinader said the United States is looking to financially back the expanding of the security force in Haiti to more than 5,000 men. Reports are that plans are under discussion to transform the current MSS mission into a larger Gang Suppression Force supported by new UN frameworks.

Abinader defended the Kenyan-led effort, saying only 700 men of the proposed 2,500 Kenyan force actually traveled to Haiti. He said these were used to defend Haitian government institutions and infrastructure mainly in Port-au-Prince.

The President said that the Dominican Republic continues with its enhanced border control.

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President Luis Abinader and President of the CNM, Luis Henry Molina / Diario Libre

President Luis Abinader is set to preside the reshaping of the Dominican Republic’s highest court, with the power to renew virtually the entire Supreme Court of Justice (SCJ) bench over the next six months, Diario Libre reports.

The National Council of the Magistracy (CNM), which Abinader chairs, is charged with evaluating and appointing 16 of the 17 of the SCJ judges. This process gives the current administration, whose party holds three of the CNM’s eight votes, significant influence over the future of the judiciary.

The first round of critical judicial evaluations begins in October 2025. The CNM will assess four judges appointed in July 2017 whose original seven-year terms technically expired in July 2024. These judges have been serving more than a year past their...

The Ministry of Public Health (MSP) has confirmed to N Digital that it transferred free medications and vaccines to the National Health Insurance (Senasa) that were subsequently reported by that institution as million-dollar purchases.

The President says he submitted the case to the Attorney General and is expecting the results of the prosecution inquiries and investigations.

A high-level source within the Ministry of Public Health has validated the information, explaining that the supplies were distributed at no cost through the Expanded Programme on Immunization (PAI). The PAI acquires vaccines and medicines at low prices through the revolving fund of the Pan American Health Organization (OPS).

The confirmation follows an exposé by journalist Edith Febles on the TV program El Día, which first revealed the alleged fraud, calling it a scam of “unsuspected proportions.”

According...

Economist Jaime Aristy Escuder has weighed in on the economic fallout from the Trump administration’s policies, urging caution in the Dominican Republic’s monetary policy management, in an opinion piece in Diario Libre. He writes about how the uncertainty generated by Trump’s tariff policy and constant economic changes in government is a key concern. Even though the passing of tariffs into consumer prices hasn’t been significant yet, analysts such as Aristy Castro have been voicing serious worries.

Aristy Castro writes that the international environment, particularly the restrictions imposed by global economic shifts, has impacted the Dominican Republic’s economic growth rate. At the start of the year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Dominican government, and the Central Bank had all projected the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would rise by 4.5%.

However...

The controversial left-turn restriction at the intersection of John F. Kennedy Avenue and José Núñez de Cáceres Avenue has been provisionally lifted, as authorities attempt to find a definitive solution to the resulting traffic congestion in the nearby La Yagüita sector. The sudden change has already generated confusion among local drivers, Diario Libre reports.

Diario Libre reports that a source from the National Institute of Transit and Terrestrial Transport (Intrant) confirmed that the measure was rolled back after its implementation 16 days ago. The reason? The opening of the Mercedes Amiama School-Home on Primera Street, which the source said had a “negative impact” on the originally designed traffic flow.

“That school has 700 students, and when parents go to drop off and pick up their children, traffic jams form, but we are looking for a solution,” the...

The intense rainfall of last week has delivered a much-needed boost to the nation’s water reserves, pushing national reservoir capacity above 61%. The significant influx of water, accumulated between 24 and 28 September 2025, has drastically improved the country’s hydraulic outlook after weeks of fluctuating conditions, El Dia reports.

The downpours contributed over 112 million cubic meters (MMC) of water to the main reservoirs, according to the latest report from the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (Indrhi). This has raised the national water availability to 1,118.14 MMC, representing 61.10% of the system’s total storage capacity of 1,830 MMC.

Several key reservoirs registered substantial gains. The Montegrande reservoir saw one of the most remarkable increases, rising by 4.43 meters and accumulating an additional 30.27 MMC. The Tavera-Bao complex also...

The Police spokesman Diego Pesqueira says that the watchman of the Ligia Portalatin Sosa in Invivienda in eastern Santo Domingo allowed the professional filming crews to enter and carry out a video by Shupamela6.9 (Carmen Sandoval) and Menor Queen (Darielys Cecilia Marchena Ozoria), two urban artists. Shuupamela participated in the highly-viewed Casa de Alofoke reality show.

The video is criticized for its pornographic lyrics and obscene performance.

The Dominican Association of Professors (ADP) said there was never an authorization on behalf of the administrative or teaching staff. Diario Libre reports that a sign on the outside of the school specifically mentions short skirts and makeup are banned in the public school.

CDN reports that lawyer Danilo Lapaix says the Children Protection Law establishes that those found guilty face two to five years in...

The two head executives of the JetSet Club whose roof collapsed on 8 April 2025 killing more than 236 people have requested the court hearing the case consider their choice of a technician to carry out a repeat investigation into its structural causes. The Abinader administration entrusted the Onesvie that presented the report carried out by leading structural engineers. The first report points to the overload of the roof by the nightclub operators as the main cause of the collapse of the roof.

Antonio and Maribel Espaillat appeared before the National District Palace of Justice on Monday, 29 September 2025, petitioning the Third Investigative Court to authorize a new expert analysis of the disaster. Maribel Espaillat was at the nightclub on that tragic evening and was alerted to the apparent roof problems, and could have suspended the concert. Antonio Espaillat was abroad...

Al Horford, who played on the Dominican national basketball team and is the husband of the Dominican Republic’s only Miss Universe (Amelia Vega – 2003), is set to sign with the Golden State Warriors. Horford had played 7 seasons with the Boston Celtics, including the 2023-2024 season in which the team finally won its NBA penchant. Former All-Star and now a free agent, Al Horford averaged 9.0 points per game and 6.2 rebounds per game for Celtics last season.

Horford’s agent Jason Glushon told ESPN on Sunday, 28 September 2025, that Horford had committed to sign a multiyear contract to be the starting center for the Warriors. Horford will be in his 19th year in the NBA league.

CBS Sports highlights that the Warriors are likely seeing in Horford the big man capable to throw the 3- point baskets the team needs to win the 2026 championship. He would join Warriors’ star player...

A significant contingent of 33 Dominican baseball players is ready to participate in the Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason, which kicks off this Tuesday, 1 October 2025.

The initial stage of the playoffs will feature the Wild Card Series, with eight teams vying for survival in four best-of-three series. All games in the Wild Card Series will be played at the home field of the teams with the superior regular-season records.

The action begins early Tuesday afternoon, as teams look to secure victory in their respective matchups.• The Detroit Tigers will visit the Cleveland Guardians.• The Chicago Cubs will host the San Diego Padres.• The Boston Red Sox will travel to New York to face the Yankees.• The Los Angeles Dodgers will be hosts against the Cincinnati Reds.

Some players, like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays, will bypass the...

Vice President Raquel Peña expressed strong confidence when she said on Friday, 26 September 2025 that the Dominican Republic will “shine” when it hosts the 25th Central American and Caribbean Games in 2026. As the country prepares for the regional sports event, the Vice President spoke of the unprecedented government investment of over RD$5 billion for sports infrastructure upgrades, most centered in Santo Domingo.

In a detailed address, Peña spoke of the massive funding package is dedicated to the ongoing renovations of all facilities within the Juan Pablo Duarte Olympic Center, where the 12th Central American and Caribbean Games were held in 1974 and at the Parque del Este complex where the Pan American Games were held in 2003.

The Vice President underscored that President Luis Abinader has championed the event, aiming for the country to be “with pride...

Three days of heavy rains fell over the Dominican Republic due to a passing trough and tropical wave since Wednesday, 24 September 2025 and resulted in more than 5,000 persons displaced from their homes, and around a thousand dwellings affected. There were 21 communities incommunicado. Several aqueducts were also impacted by the intense rains.

The rains came as the trough and tropical wave coincided with the passing outer bands of Humberto crossed by the island.

The rains caused the cancellation of the opening of the Santo Domingo book fair, the most important cultural event of the year. On Friday, 26 September, the Ministry of Education sent students in the early morning. The government recommended that employers be flexible.

The rains continued through Saturday, 28 September, but Sunday was an intensely hot day.

Intense rainfall from the weather phenomenons caused...

On Friday, 26 September 2025, a Caribe Tours bus with passengers rammed into the Pedro Francisco Bono Metro Line 2 station at John F. Kennedy Avenue and Nunez de Caceres. By Saturday, 27 September at 8:25pm, the metro service was restored, according to the OPRET Metro Office.

OPRET reported that the damaged station access was demolished in under 24 hours to ensure public safety and allow trains to resume normal operations.

The agency stated that restoration work on the station’s facade would continue during overnight hours to avoid disrupting service. OPRET has committed to returning the station to its original state as quickly as possible and thanked commuters for their understanding, emphasizing its dedication to efficiency and security.

Caribe Tours, the bus company involved in the collision, issued an official statement detailing the...

Santiago Hazim / Listin Diario

The scandalous case of significant financial leakages benefiting private companies at Senasa, the state insurance plan, continues in the media as details of several business schemes have been forthcoming. The media has been handling quantities of RD$21 billion to RD$100 billion that allegedly were milked through different scams.

The former director of the entity, physician Santiago Hazim released a taped video detaching himself from the irregularities exposed by several leading investigative programs. In his video, Hazim focused on just one of the schemes where massive corruption is suspected at the Senasa, arguing that it was he who had first denounced the case in November 2024. The Senasa case is in the Attorney General Office that has not spoken on the case. The new directors of the Superintendence of Health Risks, Miguel Ceara Hatton and the...

A recent report in Listin Diario highlights how despite having large rivers and mountain areas with water sources, providing water for human use is the most important issue impacting countries in Latin America, especially amid climate pressures.

Despite its six major hydrographic regions and a network of dams and aqueducts, the Dominican Republic faces growing water inequality, particularly in the face of intensifying climate challenges, Listin Diario reports.

In 2024, the country produced 51 million cubic meters of potable water. However, a new report by Listín Diario highlights stark territorial disparities in its distribution. The island nation is grappling with a seasonal drought, made worse by climate change, which has significantly reduced rainfall across several regions.

Access to water remains precarious for much of the population. While...

Everyone who lives in the Dominican Republic knows who bills their electricity. People know this the same way they know that there will be blackouts. These happen in some areas with much more frequency than in others. The government-owned power utilities are known by their initials: EDEEste, EDENorte and EDESur. These distribute most of the power in the DR.

Altogether, according to a report from the Ministry of Energy and Mines, as of July 2025, the different EDEs had accumulated losses of 43.3% of the total energy they purchased. The numbers are amazing. Of 11,600 gigawatt-hours purchased, 4,500 were not invoiced (39.1%), and another 4.2% were invoiced but not collected.

Not only that, but the National Budget Agency has noted that as of August 2025 the EDEs had received RD$71.44 billion from the central government, and when the budget was revised, the...

The Dominican Republic continues to strengthen its positioning as a leading Latin American medical device manufacturer for the US market. Medical Technology cover feature examines the rising appeal of the nation as it emerges as a nearshoring hub for global medtech firms seeking supply chain resilience and cost efficiency in the post-pandemic landscape.

The devices are manufactured in industrial free zones that enjoy tax incentives and benefit from international trade agreements. The DR also takes advantage of its strategic geographical positioning next to the United States.

Medical Technology points out that the Dominican Republic is taking advantage of the nearshoring trend – the strategic relocation of US manufacturing and supply chain operations closer to primary markets. This shift has enabled the DR to attract increased investment from...

Canada’s Fraser Institute measured economic freedom once again, and the Dominican Republic placed in the second quarter (47th) on the list of 165 countries indexed.

The Fraser study covers over 160 countries each year, and their Annual Report of World Economic Freedom is a highly respected instrument for judging a nation’s economic health.

The index published in Economic Freedom of the World 2025 measures the degree to which people in 165 jurisdictions around the globe are allowed to make their own economic choices.

The Dominican Republic is ranked eighth in the Americas. The report indicated that the country received the mark because its monetary stability, facilities for foreign investment, and a regulatory environment that was more competitive in comparison with other countries.

Countries in the Americas were ranked: United States (5)...

The US State Department has released its 2025 Investment Climate report for the Dominican Republic. The United States remains the single largest investor in the Dominican Republic.

Recommendations in the report call for lowering what it calls high corporate tax rates and reducing the complexity of the tax system, in addition to pursuing structural reforms to simplify bureaucratic processes and reduce the high costs of transportation and electricity, for the country to attract greater volumes of Foreign Direct Investment.

Read More:

• Hoy
• US State Department 2025 Investment Climate Statements

While most activities were cancelled on the first two days of the Santo Domingo International Book Fair, by Saturday, 27 September 2025 the leading cultural event reopened and people braved the rains to be present. The event is centered at the Plaza de la Cultura and all pavilions are indoors. But people have to brave the rains to walk to the pavilions. Thousands did so over the rainy weekend.

The events are free to the general public and the high level of the speakers promises an enrichening experience for cultural fans. This is also an opportunity to check out what’s “in” in Iberoamerican literature, with the participation of several leading editorial houses.

Parking is available inside Plaza de la Cultura only to special guests and those with badges. There is parking at the Ministry of Superior Education and the Unibe university and outside the...

Dominicans José Ramírez (Cleveland Guardians), Juan Soto (New York Mets) and Julio Rodriguez (Seattle Mariners) are part of the exclusive group of seven players who have achieved at least 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases in the 2025 Major League Baseball season. This impressive feat constitutes a new record in MLB history for the most players to reach the mark in a single season. The previous high-water mark had been four 30-30 Club members, achieved in the 1987, 1996, 1997, 2011 and 2023 seasons.

Rounding out this unprecedented statistical achievement are Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor (New York Mets), along with Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks), Jazz Chisholm (New York Yankees) and Pete Crow-Armstrong (Chicago Cubs).

There are six Dominican ball players on the Top 20 list of game shirts being sold in the United States. Juan Soto, the man with a contract with the NY Mets worth three-quarters of a billion dollars, is the top Dominican, ranked number 6. He is followed by the former Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers, who now plays for the San Francisco Giants and is at number 7. Next, in number 10, is outstanding Fernando Tatis Jr, of the San Diego Padres and the Estrellas Orientales in the Dominican Winter League.

A little bit further down the list is the very exciting shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, Elly de la Cruz, at 14, and then Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who plays first base for the Toronto Blue Jays, is at 15. Finally, there is Manny Machado, another player from San Diego, at number 19.

Of course, it is easy to understand why Shohei Otani of the Los...

The New York Mets lost to the Miami Marlins 4-0 on Sunday, 28 September 2025, ending Dominican slugger Juan Soto’s chance at reaching the 40-40 mark this season. The loss to the Marlins killed the Mets’ hope to reach the 2025 season playoffs.

Reporting on the loss, MLB stated:“Over 64 seasons, the Mets have endured some of the most precipitous collapses in Major League history. In 2007, they blew a seven-game lead with 17 to play, failing to make the playoffs with one of the league’s most talented rosters. In 2008, they again crashed out of the playoff race on the season’s final day. To this day, the members of those teams carry the weight of their failures.

“This year was supposed to be different. A roster that made it to within two games of the World Series last October, then added Soto on a record-setting $765 million contract, was meant to make the playoffs with ease. One of the most...

Michelle Bachelet / Reuters

President Luis Abinader spoke up for a renewed model of multilateralism and called for the voting of a woman to the position of Secretary General of the United Nations.

Current secretary general Antonio Guterres of Portugal was first appointed in 2017 for a first term and re-appointed in 2022 for his second term that expires on 31 December 2026.

Analysts and government officials are calling for a reformatting of the current model of multilateralism. This context makes the election of the UN’s 10th secretary-general, in 2026, for the 2027-2031 term, one of the most consequential in its history.

By unwritten convention, the secretary-general post rotates by region. After Guterres’s two terms from the Western Europe bloc, it is now the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean. Yet, even that informal agreement could be contested, as Africa could...

The 27th Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD) opens Thursday, 25 September at the grounds of the Plaza de la Cultura. The leading annual cultural event continues through 5 October. This 2025, the country’s most popular cultural event is dedicated to Dominican historian Frank Moya Pons. A pavilion at the fair will present most of his books in print for sale.

Joan Ferrer, director of the FILSD said Moya Pons is recognized for his lifelong dedication to historic researhc and educating on Dominican history.

This year the central theme of the book fair is children’s literature with an expanded section.

This year’s event will also welcome the Latin American Network of Literary Fairs and Festivals as guest of honor.

The ambitious program includes over 600 activities, featuring 182 book launches, 33 conferences, 125 talks, 65 workshops, and 103 colloquiums.

The fairgrounds has 15 themed pavilions, three conference halls, two auditoriums, and 123 dedicated spaces...

President Luis Abinader once more issued an urgent plea to the United Nations Security Council during his speech at the UN General Debate on 24 September 2025. He urged UN members —especially the five permanent ones— to swiftly approve a resolution to strengthen the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

Abinader highlighted the critical nature of the situation, noting that the MSS mission’s current mandate is set to expire on 2 October 2025.

“We must be aware that the MSS mandate expires on 2 October. We are facing a delicate period of transition that demands we guarantee legitimacy for the entire current contingent of the mission,” Abinader stated. “The Dominican Republic demands this request be supported, and we do so from the very border of the Haitian collapse.”

The President also emphasized the need for shared regional responsibility, calling on Latin American...

President Luis Abinader and President Irfaan Ali of Guyana were the two heads of government that accepted invitations to speak at the 2025 Concordia Summit, an event parallel to the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

The Concordia Annual Summit is described as an event that convenes the world’s most prominent business, government, and nonprofit leaders to foster dialogue and enable effective partnerships for positive social impact. This global affairs forum takes place in New York City and examines the world’s most pressing challenges to identify avenues for collaboration.

The Presidency reported that the conversation with Abinader focused on the themes of democracy, security, and geopolitical risk.

During the high-level conversation moderated by Nicholas Logothetis, co-founder and chairman of the Concordia Leadership Council, President Abinader...

President Luis Abinader used a high-profile dinner on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly to champion the nation as a model of economic growth and social progress. Abinader declared that the Dominican Republic is charting a course toward prosperity by fostering a unique partnership between the public and private sectors.

The event, co-hosted by the Council of Ibero-American Business Alliance (CEAPI) and the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom, brought together over 300 CEOs from across Latin America, Spain, and Portugal at the Harvard Club.

President Abinader’s speech highlighted what he called a “development model that blends macroeconomic stability, openness to investment, and a strong commitment to social progress.” He presented statistics to back up his claim. Since 2019, the national poverty rate has dropped significantly, from...

Susan Segal, President Luis Abinader and Chairman Andres Gluski / Americas Society

President Luis Abinader met with leaders of the Americas Society/Council of the Americas as a side event to his participation in New York City in the 80th UN General Assembly. The meeting was from 3 to 4:30pm at the Americas Society on Tuesday, 23 September 2025.

Abinader joined AS/COA for the private event with corporate members, co-chaired by AS/COA President and CEO Susan Segal and AS/COA Chairman Andres Gluski.

President Abinader was accompanied by Minister of Industry and Commerce Víctor “Ito” Bisonó, Minister of Health Víctor Atallah, Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the United States María Isabel Castillo Báez, Consul General of the Dominican Republic in New York Jesús Vásquez, and the president of the National Business Council (Conep) Celso Juan...

Minister of Industry and Commerce Victor “Ito” Bisono, represented President Luis Abinader at a high-profile meeting hosted by the Atlantic Council, bringing together global business leaders and investors. The event took place at the Virgin Hotel in Manhattan as part of the side events surrounding the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Also attending for the DR were Maria Isabel Castillo, Dominican ambassador to the United States and Roberto Herrera, country manager for InterEnergy Holdings in the Dominican Republic.

The Presidency reported that President Abinader was unable to attend due to severe traffic congestion in New York City, caused by heightened security and the movements of world leaders attending the UN sessions.

The meeting attracted prominent figures from the political, business, and academic spheres, including senior representatives from...

President Luis Abinader when addressing the 80th United Nations General Assembly warned that sargassum represents a direct threat to public health, regional economies, and environmental stability across the Caribbean. He called for greater international solidarity to confront the issue.

“For Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the triple planetary crisis—climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution—is not just a global challenge; it’s an existential threat. In the Caribbean, this crisis has a name and a face: sargassum,” said the President.

He explained that the massive invasion of seaweed has become a devastating phenomenon across the region, affecting coastal ecosystems, public health, and the livelihoods of thousands who depend on tourism and fishing. Leaders from the region are calling for international solidarity and climate justice—demands that...

Former President Leonel Fernández was in New York City for the “VII Global Forum on Latin America and the Caribbean” at Columbia University on 21, 22 and 23 September 2025. The event ran parallel to activities programmed for visiting missions from around the world to the 80th United Nations General Assembly.

The Columbia University event is aimed towards academics and figures working in the region’s political, economic and social fields. Former President Leonel Fernández, also president of the Global Foundation for Democracy and Development (Funglode), and the runner-up Fuerza del Pueblo political party, led several sessions with the participation of prominent political leaders, academics, and representatives of international organizations.

US Congressman from New York’s 13th District, Dominican-born Adriano Espaillat participated. Dominican...

The operator of Las Americas International Airport (SDQ), Vinci Airports – Aerodom was fined US$5 million for the nine-hour blackout that affected airport operations on Sunday, 21 September 2025. An electricity glitch caused the power outage at the main terminal, affecting arrival and departure operations from 9:18 am to around 6 pm when power was fully restored. Around 50 flights were impacted.

The reaction comes after the Dominican Airport Commission met in an extraordinary session to review the technical report on the event, which concluded, preliminarily, that the failure was caused by the collapse of a medium-voltage component in the north terminal, combined with the unavailability of the backup electrical system, which significantly affected airport operations. As part of the measures adopted, the Commission decided that Aerodom must pay the Dominican State a...

Weatherman Jean Suriel forecasts rains for most of the country on Thursday, 25 September 2025, as a trough and a tropical wave 38 move across Dominican waters and land from Puerto Rico. The Invest 94L storm has a direction that is taking it to impact the east coast of the DR as it heads north. Yet, its wide range is bringing rains to most of the country.

The rains are forecast to last through Saturday, 27 September, impacting both Caribbean and Atlantic coasts and bringing drenching rains to most of the country.

The NHC of the United States reports that a tropical wave centered near the Dominican Republic continues to produce widespread disorganized showers and thunderstorms. The wave is expected to move west-northwestward, spreading heavy rainfall and gusty winds across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic on Thursday, 25 September. The system is then expected to slow...

The New York Mets fans have responded with record attendance to the Citi Field stadium. Yet, MLB’s best-paid player, Juan Soto has not been able to make the difference, and the team continues to struggle to move beyond the regular season.

The crowds, nevertheless, have been able to watch as Juan Soto ends the season on a roll. He delivered his home run No. 43 in the eighth inning of the game the New York Mets lost to the Chicago Cubs 10-3.

The Mets have five more games to play in the regular season, giving Soto still a chance at reaching the very difficult 40-40 mark. Soto has a record of 43 home runs and 36 stolen bases as of 24 September 2025.