SANTO DOMINGO – In a significant environmental policy confrontation, the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) has formally repudiated a judicial ruling mandating boundary alterations to the Jaragua National Park to facilitate tourism expansion. The Ministry declared its intention to exhaust all legal remedies to overturn Amparo Judgment No. 0030-1643-2025-SSEN-00786, contending that the judicial directive improperly utilizes a compliance injunction mechanism to reconfigure a federally protected zone.
The legal dispute originated from litigation initiated by a private enterprise seeking to invoke Law No. 266-04 on properties situated within the park’s confines. The Ministry emphasized that the region is safeguarded under the nation’s most stringent environmental preservation statutes, notwithstanding its concurrent designation as a Tourist Hub. Official statements from MMARN cautioned that the court’s decision not only contravenes the Dominican constitutional framework but also infringes upon core environmental legislation, including the General Law of the Environment (64-00) and the Sectoral Law on Protected Areas (202-04).
Environmental authorities issued a stark warning that affirming such a judicial precedent would critically undermine the stability and integrity of the National System of Protected Areas. The Ministry reiterated its unwavering dedication to preserving Jaragua National Park’s ecological sanctity and protecting the nation’s natural heritage, underscoring that ecological conservation constitutes an indispensable priority for both contemporary citizens and posterity.