The Dominican Confederation of Tourist Taxi Drivers (Codotatur) has announced plans to stage street protests in response to the National Institute of Transit and Land Transportation (Intrant) granting tourist licenses to drivers allegedly operating illegally in Arroyo Barril (Samaná) and Bayahibe (La Romana). Codotatur president Santiago Zamora accused Intrant of violating Law 63-17 by issuing these licenses without adhering to the legally mandated procedures. He claimed that the institution bypassed proper protocols to favor undisclosed interests tied to its director. This week, the union intends to file a formal complaint against the decision, which they argue jeopardizes the livelihoods of long-standing licensed drivers. Zamora emphasized that Codotatur members have been operating for over four decades, paying taxes, complying with regulations, and delivering safe, high-quality services. Despite submitting all necessary documentation for license renewals more than three years ago, they have yet to receive their licenses, while so-called ‘pirate’ drivers have allegedly been granted permits. Zamora also highlighted the contradiction between the Ministry of Tourism’s crackdown on unlicensed taxis and Intrant’s alleged support for them. Codotatur has alerted its members and is prepared to block major tourist routes if their demands are not met.
标签： Dominican Republic
多米尼加共和国
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Dominican Republic takes part in UNESCO’s 43rd General Conference in Uzbekistan
The Dominican Republic made a significant impact at the 43rd General Conference of UNESCO, a historic event held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan—marking the first time in 40 years that the conference took place outside Paris. The Dominican delegation, led by Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo, actively participated in high-level discussions, emphasizing the nation’s dedication to cultural diversity, heritage preservation, and the expansion of creative industries. Minister Salcedo highlighted the crucial role of youth in driving cultural innovation and called for more equitable international cooperation, particularly advocating for increased Caribbean involvement in UNESCO’s strategic initiatives. Ambassador Larissa Veloz Santana, the Dominican Republic’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, played a pivotal role in aligning national priorities with global agendas. She engaged with key stakeholders, participated in working committees, and reinforced partnerships within the multilateral framework. The delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Culture, the Dominican National Commission for UNESCO, and diplomatic missions in Uzbekistan and Russia, all contributing to the technical and diplomatic efforts. Throughout the conference, the Dominican Republic championed cultural policies aligned with the 2030 Agenda, emphasizing the importance of creativity, heritage protection, and cultural diversity on the global stage.
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Presidency clarifies digital service disruptions were caused by external providers
The Dominican Republic’s Presidency has officially addressed the temporary disruptions experienced by users on various digital platforms earlier in the day, attributing the issue to a global technical incident involving Cloudflare, a leading international company that supports numerous websites and online services worldwide. The government clarified that the outages were not caused by failures within its own systems, emphasizing the robustness of its digital infrastructure. Cloudflare confirmed the incident, citing network degradation that temporarily affected platform performance and stability across the region and other parts of the globe. Despite the external outage, the Dominican government’s critical systems, including institutional websites, administrative platforms, service channels, and internal networks, remained fully operational. This resilience was credited to the State’s redundancy mechanisms, backup systems, and continuous monitoring protocols. The Directorate of Strategy and Government Communication (DIECOM) reported that its technical team has been actively monitoring the situation since the incident began, coordinating with local providers to ensure overall connectivity. Government officials reiterated that the disruptions did not originate from State platforms and reaffirmed their commitment to modernization, cybersecurity, and enhancing the country’s digital resilience to provide reliable and accessible services for all citizens.
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Adoexpo: exports surpassed US$12 billion and grew 10.3% in 2025
The Dominican Republic has marked a significant milestone in its export sector, closing the first ten months of 2025 with over US$12 billion in exports and a robust 10.3% growth rate. These figures were unveiled by the Dominican Exporters Association (Adoexpo) during the 39th Export Excellence Awards, an event presided over by President Luis Abinader. The ceremony celebrated companies that have made remarkable contributions to international markets. Adoexpo President Karel Castillo highlighted the country’s strong performance, with exports to the United States exceeding US$6 billion and shipments to the Caribbean reaching US$1.7 billion, reflecting a 15% increase. Castillo emphasized the Dominican Republic’s growing influence in both traditional and emerging markets, including India, and called for sustained reforms in logistics, technical education, regulatory modernization, and labor flexibility to solidify the nation’s position as a regional export powerhouse. Roselyn Amaro Bergés, Adoexpo’s Executive Vice President, presented findings from the Export Sector Indicator Study, revealing that exports totaled US$13.8 billion in 2024, creating 144,000 jobs. The study also noted significant growth in key products such as gold (+52%), cocoa (+54%), and steel laminates (+87%), with exports accounting for 29% of all foreign currency entering the country in 2025. The awards ceremony honored outstanding companies across various categories, with Pasteurizadora Rica receiving the prestigious title of Great Dominican Exporter. Other awardees included Plastifar, BotPro, Successment, Ghidora (Blink Esports), Textilab x Angie Polanco, Aparataje Distribution, Grupo RR&T, B Brawn Dominican Republic, Smurfit Westrock, and Nahshar Produce. Special recognitions were also extended to sector veterans, public institutions, private companies, media outlets, and journalists for their contributions to the development of national exports.
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Abinader: new Summit of the Americas date depends on consensus with U.S. and allies
Santo Domingo – President Luis Abinader announced on Monday that a new date for the postponed Summit of the Americas has yet to be finalized. The decision, he stated, will be made in collaboration with the United States and other participating nations. Speaking during ‘LA Semanal con la Prensa,’ Abinader revealed that prior to the postponement, approximately ten to eleven countries had confirmed their attendance, with several others still undecided. The Dominican government is currently evaluating the most opportune timing for the summit, particularly as many nations in the region are engaged in ongoing electoral processes. Abinader highlighted that scheduling the event after these elections would enable newly elected or re-elected presidents to participate with fresh mandates and greater availability. He further stressed that the final decision will be coordinated with key regional partners, including the United States and Brazil.
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U.S. drops tariffs on Dominican agricultural and industrial exports
The United States government has enacted a significant tariff reduction, eliminating duties on more than 1,000 products by amending Executive Order 14257. This policy change, signed by President Donald Trump and effective from November 13, updates the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for imported goods and directly benefits the Dominican Republic. The Caribbean nation exports approximately $581 million worth of these goods to the U.S. market annually. The updated list includes a wide range of products such as cocoa, gold, medicines, semiconductors, avocados, bananas, coffee, tomatoes, mangoes, guavas, coconuts, plantains, and papayas. Dominican Minister of Industry, Commerce, and MSMEs, Víctor ‘Ito’ Bisonó, hailed the decision as a major cost-saving measure for Dominican exporters. He emphasized that the government would continue negotiations with U.S. agencies to secure zero tariffs for additional exports. President Trump justified the move by citing a review of trade data, domestic production capacity, and ongoing negotiations with trading partners, deeming the expansion of tariff-exempt products ‘necessary and appropriate.’ The revised order notably removes certain agricultural goods from the list of tariff-affected items, further enhancing trade relations between the two nations.
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Abinader says Dominican border under control amid Haiti protest call
Santo Domingo – President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic addressed escalating tensions along the Haitian border during his weekly press conference on Monday. In response to a protest call issued by Haitian gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, alias ‘Barbecue,’ Abinader affirmed that the nation possesses a ‘sufficient level of intelligence’ and maintains robust control over its border. He underscored the government’s vigilance in monitoring the situation, given the potential repercussions of heightened unrest in Haiti. Abinader revealed that the Dominican government is in continuous coordination with international forces operating in Haiti and domestic security agencies. This collaboration, he explained, enables authorities to anticipate and mitigate any threats to border stability. A special alert was activated on Monday as a precautionary measure. The President emphasized that border security remains a top priority, with daily monitoring and enhanced surveillance efforts. Defense Minister Carlos Luciano Díaz has been provided with detailed intelligence on activities within Haiti to prevent any spillover of violence into Dominican territory.
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Amnesty International urges Dominican Republic to end health protocol tied to deportations
Amnesty International has once again urged the Dominican government to abolish a controversial health protocol that ties medical treatment for undocumented Haitians to deportation. The organization labeled the policy as ‘unjustified’ and ‘discriminatory’ during the virtual launch of its report titled ‘Health Without Stigma: The Impact of Migration Policies on the Right to Health in the Dominican Republic.’ The report delves into how current migration policies are obstructing Haitian migrants’ access to healthcare.
The findings are based on a comprehensive analysis of public health data, UNICEF reports, and interviews with health experts and Haitian patients. Amnesty International highlighted that the protocol’s requirements—such as ID verification, proof of residence, employment letters, and post-treatment deportation—contravene international human rights standards. These measures, the organization argues, deter Haitians from seeking medical care, perpetuate racial stereotypes, and amplify anti-Haitian sentiments, thereby undermining the fundamental right to health.
Implemented in April, the protocol permits undocumented patients to receive medical treatment but mandates their deportation once they are medically stable. Amnesty International contends that this approach not only jeopardizes public health but also disproportionately impacts vulnerable populations. The organization has called on the Dominican government to revoke the protocol, cease the detention and deportation of Haitians seeking medical care, and ensure that immigration status does not hinder access to health services.
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Abinader to attend annual semiconductor meeting in California
President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic is set to embark on a significant diplomatic and economic mission to San Jose, California, on November 20. His visit comes at the invitation of the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), recognizing the country’s strides in developing a robust and dependable ecosystem for semiconductor investments. Abinader will be joined by Minister of Industry and Commerce Víctor “Ito” Bisonó and a delegation of private-sector representatives as part of the National Strategy for the Promotion of the Semiconductor Industry (Enfis).
During the Semiconductor Annual Meeting, the Dominican team will engage with top executives from global semiconductor giants, including Intel, TSMC, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, and Micron. The primary objective is to forge stronger alliances and position the Dominican Republic as a trusted partner for companies looking to diversify their production chains away from Asia.
The Dominican Republic is focusing on several key areas within the semiconductor industry, including the manufacturing of discrete semiconductors and passive components, assembly, testing, and packaging (ATP) of mature-node chips, and the production of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and chip integration into electronic devices. These sectors are currently dominated by China, but the Dominican Republic aims to capitalize on its logistical advantages, free zone system, and precision manufacturing capabilities to meet U.S. supply chain demands.
President Abinader emphasized that this event is a pivotal opportunity to showcase the nation’s potential. Several free zone companies in the Dominican Republic are already in advanced discussions with major global players, signaling a promising future for the country’s semiconductor industry.
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Gaming sector leaders gather in Santo Domingo for GAT Expo 2025
The GAT Expo Santo Domingo 2025, held at the Renaissance Jaragua Hotel & Casino, successfully convened industry leaders, experts, and representatives from the gaming and betting sector for a two-day event centered on knowledge, technology, and innovation. The expo’s academic program offered a comprehensive update on the online gaming market, emerging communication models, and the behavior of Dominican players. Key topics included regulatory advancements, technological trends, technical compliance, responsible gaming, data analysis, and artificial intelligence, providing attendees with valuable insights into the evolving industry landscape. Participants lauded the event as one of the most thorough and well-organized programs in Santo Domingo in recent years. A dedicated networking session further enhanced the experience, facilitating meaningful professional exchanges between local delegates and international guests. Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT Events, emphasized the expo’s consistent growth and Santo Domingo’s strategic importance within the regional circuit. He also extended an invitation for industry stakeholders to join the GAT Events 2026 Circuit, set to kick off in Cartagena next March. The GAT Expo Santo Domingo 2025 concluded on a high note, solidifying its position as a pivotal platform for the development and integration of the gaming sector across the Caribbean and Latin America.