标签： Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic’s National Institute for the Protection of Consumer Rights (Pro Consumidor) has implemented an immediate nationwide prohibition against the sale of toy pistols and shotguns utilizing hydrogel pellets. Executive Director Eddy Alcántara announced the sweeping measure, emphasizing these recreational items present critical dangers to public health and safety, particularly for children and adolescents.

This regulatory action follows multiple alerts from medical specialists documenting severe ocular injuries including retinal detachment, inflammation, and permanent vision loss. Alcántara clarified that hydrogel projectiles can cause blunt trauma and irreversible damage such as eyeball rupture, even when fired at close range.

The institute has activated national inspection operations to monitor toy stores and commercial establishments, ensuring removal of these prohibited items from circulation. Alcántara noted this decision aligns with similar bans already implemented in the United States, Argentina, and Brazil due to documented physical hazards and public security concerns.

Recent incidents have amplified regulatory concerns, including reported disturbances during Three Kings Day celebrations in La Vega province where youth groups engaged in simulated combat using these devices, resulting in police interventions and arrests. Residents in Santo Domingo’s Cancino Adentro sector have additionally expressed alarm over hooded individuals conducting mock chases and confrontations in public spaces, creating community anxiety and endangerment to bystanders.

Pro Consumidor issued a special appeal to parents and guardians to exercise heightened diligence when selecting toys, promoting education on responsible consumption practices under Law 358-05 governing consumer protection in the Dominican Republic.

PUERTO PLATA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – The search for three-year-old Brianna Genao has entered its fifteenth day with authorities vowing to intensify efforts despite emerging challenges. The child vanished from the Barrero community in Imbert municipality on December 31, 2025, sparking one of the most extensive missing person operations in recent Puerto Plata history.

National Police Colonel Diego Pesqueira confirmed the deployment of additional resources to locate the missing girl. “When confronting an incident of this magnitude, our absolute priority remains finding Brianna with even greater determination than before,” Pesqueira stated during a press briefing. The search perimeter continues to expand radially from the great-grandmother’s residence where Brianna was last observed playing with other children.

The investigation has evolved into an international collaborative effort with FBI agents now integrated into the operation. The joint task force operates under the direct supervision of Attorney General Yeni Berenice Reynoso, coordinating multiple agencies in the search operation. This reinforcement comes despite a minor setback when a search team member required medical attention during Wednesday’s operations, though authorities clarified the affected individual was not part of the FBI contingent.

Critical developments have emerged throughout the investigation. On January 1, 2026, search teams discovered Brianna’s pink slipper in the ruins of a structure approximately 100 meters from the last sighting location. The following week saw significant investigative progress with the deployment of four canine units and the detention of at least five individuals for questioning.

Among those detained were two uncles of the missing girl, identified as Reyes Rosario and Rafael ‘Papito’ Reyes Rosario. According to sources from Listin Diario, both individuals allegedly confessed to authorities about involvement in Brianna’s death and burial, though they claimed inability to recall the specific location where they disposed of the body. The investigation continues to develop as forensic teams and search brigades methodically examine new leads.

SANTO DOMINGO – The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Labor has issued an official nationwide reminder regarding the mandatory observance of Our Lady of Altagracia Day this coming Wednesday, January 21. According to the announcement, all public and private sector establishments across the national territory must recognize this date as an official non-working holiday.

The regulatory clarification specifies that normal business operations must resume on Thursday, January 22, in strict compliance with the country’s Labor Law 139-97 governing official holiday observances. The ministry’s directive emphasizes that this requirement applies uniformly to all employers and workers throughout the Dominican Republic.

Labor authorities have reinforced the mandatory nature of this religious and cultural holiday, urging full compliance with existing labor regulations concerning compensation and operational status during officially designated non-working days. The announcement serves as both a reminder and regulatory reinforcement for the proper observance of one of the nation’s most significant religious holidays, which honors the country’s patron saint.

BARAHONA, Dominican Republic – The Dominican government has successfully completed critical operational testing of the Monte Grande Dam’s emergency floodgate system, marking a significant advancement in national disaster preparedness. Under the supervision of Olmedo Caba Romano, Executive Director of the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INDRHI), engineers conducted comprehensive functionality tests on all four main spillway gates to verify their water discharge capacity during potential weather emergencies.

The testing protocol included a simulated total electrical blackout to assess the automated gates’ emergency response capabilities without primary power. INDRHI technicians, working alongside the dam’s construction consortium, confirmed the system performed flawlessly during the drill. Director Caba Romano emphasized that the successful exercise demonstrates the dam’s operational readiness and fulfills President Luis Abinader’s commitment to completing this vital infrastructure project for the Enriquillo region.

Local officials highlighted the dam’s transformative impact on community safety and economic development. Barahona Provincial Governor Oneida Féliz Medina noted the structure’s dual purpose in supporting agricultural irrigation while providing critical flood control, evidenced during the recent Tropical Storm Melissa. Engineering expert Osiris De León provided technical confirmation that the four-gate system can discharge approximately 8,800 cubic meters of water per second, providing unprecedented flood protection for previously vulnerable communities including Tamayo, Vicente Noble, and Jaquimeyes along the Yaque del Sur River basin.

SANTO DOMINGO – A disturbing incident involving two Haitian nationals has ignited serious concerns regarding migrant transportation protocols and public safety in the Dominican capital. Video evidence circulating extensively across social media platforms captures the moment the two individuals deliberately jump from a fast-moving truck operated by the General Directorate of Migration (DGM) along the busy Jacobo Majluta Avenue.

The footage shows both men landing violently on the pavement, raising immediate alarms about their physical well-being and the potential danger posed to other motorists on the road. The precise motivations behind their desperate leap remain unconfirmed, though it has prompted widespread public debate.

As of the latest reports, the physical condition and whereabouts of the two Haitian nationals remain unknown. The DGM, the government body responsible for migration control, has maintained official silence, declining to issue any public statement. This lack of communication extends to clarifying the circumstances that led to the incident, the events that followed, or the status of the individuals involved.

Furthermore, Dominican authorities have not indicated whether a formal investigation will be launched to examine the DGM’s operational procedures during this event. There is also no confirmation on whether new preventive measures will be implemented to mitigate the risk of similar hazardous situations occurring in the future, leaving questions about accountability and migrant handling procedures unanswered.