Carib Scope

标签： Dominican Republic

多米尼加共和国

  • Free rabies vaccination for dogs and cats this Friday in Ciudad Juan Bosch

    Free rabies vaccination for dogs and cats this Friday in Ciudad Juan Bosch

    Residents of Santo Domingo’s Ciudad Juan Bosch and surrounding neighborhoods are set to access a critical public health service this week, as the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Public Health has scheduled a free rabies vaccination day for domestic dogs and cats this Friday, August 21. The event will be hosted at La Gaviota 1 Park, located in the heart of Ciudad Juan Bosch, and will operate from 8:30 a.m. through 3:00 p.m. to accommodate pet owners across different work and personal schedules.

    Organized by the national Center for Prevention and Control of Vector-Borne Diseases and Zoonoses (Cecovez), the one-day vaccination drive carries two core public health goals: to expand overall rabies vaccination coverage among companion animals in the region, and to cut down on the risk of the deadly virus spreading from animals to human communities. Rabies remains a persistent global public health threat, with most human infections linked to bites from unvaccinated domestic animals, making widespread pet vaccination a foundational prevention strategy.

    The clinical team managing the event will be drawn from the Zoonosis division of the Ministry’s Health Area 1 jurisdiction. All vaccinations will be provided completely free of charge to eligible pets, with event organizers prioritizing animals that have never received a rabies vaccine to maximize the public health impact of the initiative. Pet owners from both Ciudad Juan Bosch itself and adjacent communities are welcome to bring their companion animals to the site to receive the vaccine.

    Local and national health authorities have issued a public call for area pet owners to take advantage of this free service, stressing that routine rabies vaccination is one of the most effective evidence-based tools available to prevent rabies outbreaks and safeguard broader community health. This vaccination day is not an isolated event, but rather part of a sustained national partnership between the Ministry of Public Health and the VBC-RD Trust. The collaboration focuses on long-term rabies control across the Dominican Republic, with an overarching goal of achieving complete elimination of the virus from the country in the coming years.

  • Jack Nicklaus visits Cap Cana to oversee new Las Iguanas Golf Course

    Jack Nicklaus visits Cap Cana to oversee new Las Iguanas Golf Course

    Golfing legend Jack Nicklaus has made an on-site visit to Cap Cana, the prestigious Caribbean tourism destination, to review ongoing construction work at the highly anticipated Las Iguanas Golf Course. Developed by his namesake Jack Nicklaus Signature Design team, the 18-hole course is on track to welcome its first full complement of golfers when it opens completely in spring 2027.

    During his inspection, Nicklaus centered his assessment on two core priorities: the quality of ongoing construction and the alignment of the course’s layout with Cap Cana’s untouched natural landscapes. Currently, the project has crossed a key milestone: the first nine holes are already open to the public, with crews working steadily to complete the remaining half of the course ahead of the 2027 full launch.

    Standing on the partially completed grounds, Nicklaus shared that the course is approaching final completion and reaffirmed the full dedication of his design team to seeing the project through. “We are now back, with our entire team and fully committed to this new stage,” Nicklaus said of the development.

    The addition of Las Iguanas marks a major expansion of Cap Cana’s already robust golf offerings, and fits directly into the destination’s long-term strategy to solidify its standing as the Caribbean’s premier hub for golf and sports tourism.

    This new project is far from Nicklaus’ first collaboration with Cap Cana. His working relationship with the destination stretches back decades, to the design of Punta Espada Golf Club, one of his most acclaimed Caribbean courses. Punta Espada, which is consistently ranked among the top golf courses in the region, will mark its 20th anniversary in 2026.

    Fernando Hazoury, chairman of the Cap Cana board, noted that Nicklaus’ ongoing partnership with the destination serves as a powerful vote of confidence in Cap Cana’s long-term growth vision. “Golf has been a fundamental part of Cap Cana’s identity, but our commitment to sports tourism is much broader,” Hazoury explained.

    He went on to highlight that Cap Cana has steadily expanded its footprint beyond golf to host a growing roster of major international sporting events, including the ATP Challenger 175 tennis tournament and the Ironman 70.3 triathlon. These events are central to the destination’s strategy to draw a diverse range of visitors, from competitive athletes to casual sports enthusiasts from across the globe.

  • Cuban diplomat says expulsion from Dominican Republic is a “Badge of Honor”

    Cuban diplomat says expulsion from Dominican Republic is a “Badge of Honor”

    When a group of expelled Cuban diplomats touched back down on home soil in Havana this week, they did not arrive as disgraced representatives—instead, they framed their forced expulsion from the Dominican Republic as a politically motivated attack orchestrated by outside forces, and a testament to their unwavering commitment to Cuban principles.

    Odín Ysla Hernández, one of the expelled Cuban diplomatic officials, described the Dominican government’s order to remove his delegation as nothing less than an imperial maneuver, designed to erode Cuba’s standing and prestige across the global stage. In remarks delivered shortly after his arrival, he emphasized that he and his fellow expelled diplomats had returned home with every part of their professional duty fulfilled, going so far as to call the expulsion a badge of honor that reaffirmed their loyalty to the core tenets of the Cuban Revolution.

    The returning delegation received an official welcome from Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where senior Cuban officials pushed back against the expulsion, arguing that the Dominican government had failed to provide any credible, sufficient justification for the drastic measure. Cuban leaders stressed that the entire diplomatic delegation had operated strictly in line with the terms of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, as well as all local laws governing foreign diplomats within the Dominican Republic, and praised the delegation’s professional conduct throughout their posting.

    Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister, laid out the Cuban government’s formal assessment of the incident, saying the expulsions were a direct outcome of relentless pressure from the United States. She argued that the move fits into a long-running Washington-led strategy to isolate Cuba diplomatically, and cut off the island nation from its key regional partnerships across Latin America and the Caribbean.

    The sequence of events began on August 13, when the Dominican government issued an order requiring nine Cuban officials and their immediate family members to leave the country within a tight three-day window. That deadline expired on August 16, and in total, 21 people—including the accredited diplomats, their spouses, and their children—completed their return to Cuban territory.

    Cuba’s national government has issued a formal condemnation of the Dominican decision, calling it a clear example of the Dominican Republic’s political subordination to U.S. interests. Cuban officials also pointed to a series of recent public and private disagreements between the governments of Santo Domingo and Havana as evidence of a worrying shift in the Dominican Republic’s official policy toward Cuba, one that has strained long-standing bilateral ties between the two Caribbean nations.

  • Health Minister urges Dominicans to take precautions amid high temperatures

    Health Minister urges Dominicans to take precautions amid high temperatures

    As the Dominican Republic grapples with a sustained wave of extreme high temperatures, the nation’s top health official has issued a urgent public call to reinforce heat-related preventive habits to avoid life-threatening health complications.

    Speaking from the capital Santo Domingo, Health Minister Víctor Atallah, a practicing cardiologist, outlined clear, actionable guidance for the general public to mitigate heat-related risks, which range from mild dehydration and exhaustion to fatal heat stroke. Atallah emphasized that proactive hydration is the first line of defense: he advised residents to drink water at regular intervals throughout the day, rather than waiting until feelings of thirst set in. This guidance carries extra weight for people who work outdoors, engage in regular outdoor exercise, or spend extended time in open, unshaded areas.

    Beyond hydration, the minister outlined additional core preventive steps. The public is advised to avoid unprotected exposure to direct sunlight during the peak hot hours of the day, and to scale back intense physical activity performed outdoors. For workers who are required to perform labor in direct sun, Atallah recommended taking frequent, short breaks in cool, shaded areas and maintaining consistent hydration throughout shifts.

    He also shared lifestyle adjustments to help the body regulate temperature: wearing light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, ensuring residential and commercial spaces remain well-ventilated, and using cool showers or cool damp cloths to lower body temperature when overheating occurs.

    Atallah stressed that vulnerable populations require extra monitoring and care during extreme heat events. These groups include infants and young children, older adults, and people living with chronic pre-existing conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory illness, kidney disease, and diabetes.

    In one critical safety reminder, the minister warned against leaving children, vulnerable adults, or companion pets inside closed parked vehicles – even for just a few minutes. Internal vehicle temperatures can spike to dangerous, lethal levels in a matter of minutes in high heat, creating entirely preventable risk of death or severe injury.

    To help the public identify early signs of heat-related illness, Atallah outlined common early symptoms that signal the body is struggling with excessive heat: dizziness, persistent headache, general weakness, nausea, unexpected muscle cramps, extreme thirst, and fatigue. Anyone experiencing these symptoms is advised to immediately stop all physical activity, relocate to a cool shaded space, and begin rehydrating with cool water.

    The minister clarified that more severe symptoms require immediate emergency medical care. These include confusion, disorientation, loss of consciousness, or a dangerously elevated core body temperature – all hallmark signs of heat stroke, a life-threatening condition that requires urgent intervention.

    Closing his appeal to the public, Atallah emphasized that extreme heat risks should not be underestimated, and urged all Dominican residents to follow official public health guidance. He concluded that consistent, simple daily preventive measures are enough to significantly reduce the risk of serious heat-related health complications during this period of extreme heat.

  • Abinader launches national process to title protected areas in Dominican Republic

    Abinader launches national process to title protected areas in Dominican Republic

    In a landmark step for environmental governance and conservation in the Dominican Republic, President Luis Abinader has formally issued the first six state property titles for more than 12.35 million square meters of land located within two of the country’s critical protected areas: Loma Novillero and Montaña La Humeadora National Parks. This handover marks an unprecedented milestone for the nation, as it represents the first government-led nationwide initiative to formally register and title protected area lands under official Dominican State ownership. President Abinader emphasized that this long-awaited regulatory action will address longstanding threats to the country’s natural heritage by blocking illegal land encroachment, safeguarding irreplaceable ecosystems and state-held natural assets, and raising the overall standard of environmental management across protected territories.

  • Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes southern Peru

    Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes southern Peru

    A powerful seismic event rattled southern Peru on Thursday, with tremors rippling across multiple regions of the Andean nation, new data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirms.

    According to the USGS, the quake struck at approximately 6:00 p.m. GMT, with its epicenter located in Parinacochas Province, part of Peru’s Ayacucho region. The site sits roughly 791 kilometers east of the country’s capital, Lima, and the USGS measured the earthquake’s depth at around 66.6 kilometers, putting it in the range of intermediate-depth seismic activity. The USGS logged the quake at a magnitude of 6.7.

    There is a discrepancy in magnitude measurements between the US agency and Peru’s national geoscience body, however. The Geophysical Institute of Peru has recorded a higher magnitude of 7.2 for the event, and estimates the epicenter was far deeper, at roughly 108 kilometers below the Earth’s surface.

    Despite the significant strength of the earthquake, which was felt across wide swathes of southern Peru, early official assessments have not recorded any deaths, injuries, or major structural damage to infrastructure. Seismologists note that the earthquake’s relatively deep origin likely worked to reduce the intensity of shaking and destructive impact on surface communities, a common dynamic for intermediate-depth seismic events that distribute energy over a wider area before it reaches populated areas.

  • Puerto Plata’s Terminal del Norte Project could attract US$520 million investment

    Puerto Plata’s Terminal del Norte Project could attract US$520 million investment

    A transformative new multipurpose port initiative, Terminal del Norte, is being developed in Guzmancito, Maimón, Puerto Plata, with an initial investment commitment of over $520 million from private developer Pragma Capital. Designed to unlock the economic potential of the Dominican Republic’s northern coast, the project centers on expanding regional logistics capacity, drawing in global foreign direct investment, and generating thousands of local employment opportunities.

    Currently, the Terminal del Norte project remains in the pre-construction phase, undergoing mandatory environmental impact assessments and extensive community consultation rounds. Pragma Capital is still awaiting final regulatory permits and government authorizations before breaking ground on the facility, which is positioned to become a core infrastructure asset for the northern region.

    Unlike the Dominican Republic’s dominant southern port network, Terminal del Norte is purpose-built to handle a diverse range of maritime traffic, including general cargo, bulk agricultural goods, container shipping, and critical energy supply deliveries. Its strategic location in Puerto Plata streamlines goods movement across Puerto Plata, Santiago, and the broader Cibao region, eliminating the need for overland transport to southern ports and cutting long-term logistics costs for northern producers and businesses.

    The project is also tailored to strengthen Puerto Plata’s standing as a top global tourism and cruise destination. As the international cruise industry transitions to larger, more efficient vessels and lower-carbon alternative fuels, Terminal del Norte will offer convenient refueling services for cruise ships traversing the Eastern Caribbean, requiring minimal route deviations from standard itineraries. A key design feature separates cargo and logistics operations from tourist and coastal recreation zones, allowing the two sectors to grow in tandem without disrupting Puerto Plata’s tourism-focused local economy, while also upgrading the region’s marine energy infrastructure.

    When construction reaches its peak, Pragma Capital projects the initiative will create approximately 2,000 direct construction jobs. Once the terminal is fully operational, it will support hundreds of permanent on-site roles, alongside thousands of indirect employment opportunities across local transportation, hospitality, support services, and regional supply chains. To ensure local communities benefit long-term, the developer plans to launch a local employment registry for Maimón residents ahead of construction, paired with targeted technical training programs to help local workers qualify for skilled permanent positions. Pragma has also committed to establishing a permanent community working group, including representatives from local neighborhood associations, fishing collectives, the parish, and the Maimón Municipal District, to address resident concerns and maintain transparent ongoing coordination.

    Terminal del Norte aligns directly with the Dominican Republic’s National Goal 2036, a national development framework that prioritizes accelerated inclusive economic growth, expanded foreign investment, and increased productive opportunities across all regions of the country. For the Cibao Norte region specifically, the national development target calls for growing the region’s GDP from $20.122 billion to $51.466 billion by 2036, a goal that the port project is expected to meaningfully contribute to.

    Pragma Capital has already secured preliminary interest from multiple United States-based investors looking to participate in the project. The identities of these investors remain confidential under non-disclosure agreements, pending final government approval of the project’s permits.

    If approved and completed according to its current roadmap, Terminal del Norte is positioned to become a landmark logistics and energy infrastructure project for northern Dominican Republic, supporting expanded trade, broad-based job growth, and long-term resilience for the region’s critical cruise tourism sector.

  • Suspect in Santiago garbage truck driver’s murder arrested in Jamaica

    Suspect in Santiago garbage truck driver’s murder arrested in Jamaica

    A key suspect in the April killing of 40-year-old garbage truck driver Deivy Carlos Abreu Quezada in Santiago, Dominican Republic, has finally been captured after months on the run, attorneys representing the victim’s family have confirmed. Jhovanny de Jesús Metz Cruz, a suspect widely known by his alias “Macho”, was taken into custody by law enforcement on Jamaican soil after evading Dominican authorities since the violent incident unfolded on April 17.

    The deadly attack began when a group of motorcyclists blocked and intercepted the garbage truck Abreu was operating through Santiago’s urban streets, according to official statements from the Dominican Public Prosecutor’s Office. What followed was a high-stakes 23-minute chase that concluded just blocks away from the Santiago Courthouse, in a shocking public display of violence that shook the local community.

    Investigators building the case against Metz Cruz allege that he intentionally maneuvered his motorcycle directly into the path of Abreu’s truck, forcing the driver to bring his vehicle to a halt. After stopping the truck, Metz Cruz allegedly joined other attackers in a brutal assault that left Abreu with critical, life-threatening injuries. Though emergency crews rushed the driver to a local medical facility for urgent care, he ultimately succumbed to his wounds.

    Abreu, who left behind five children, had only worked as a garbage truck driver for nine months before his death, painting a devastating picture of loss for the working-class family. To date, seven other people linked to the fatal attack have already been taken into custody by Dominican authorities, and a Santiago judge has ordered pretrial preventive detention for all seven co-defendants as the case moves through the court system.

    Family attorney José Martínez Brito confirmed that following the arrest, legal teams and law enforcement from both Jamaica and the Dominican Republic are now working through the formal extradition process to transfer Metz Cruz back to the Dominican Republic, where he will answer to formal murder charges connected to Abreu’s death. The long-awaited arrest marks a major breakthrough in an investigation that has held local attention since April, bringing the victim’s family one step closer to seeking justice.

  • New Dominican Foreign Minister meets U.S. Ambassador in Santo Domingo

    New Dominican Foreign Minister meets U.S. Ambassador in Santo Domingo

    Fresh off his formal inauguration to the Dominican Republic’s top foreign affairs post, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó has convened his first high-level bilateral meeting with U.S. Ambassador Leah Francis Campos in the nation’s capital of Santo Domingo. The gathering centered on reviewing the trajectory of Dominican-U.S. relations and mapping out collaborative priorities that align with the mutual interests of both Caribbean and North American nations.

    Over the course of the discussions, the two senior officials walked through long-standing shared policy priorities and untapped opportunities to deepen bilateral cooperation, building on the decades of robust economic, political, and people-to-people connections that have defined the partnership between the two countries. Bisonó opened the meeting by underscoring the depth and durability of the bond between the Dominican Republic and the United States, pointing to core aligned values including democratic governance, individual freedom, and unwavering respect for national sovereignty as foundational pillars of the relationship. He reaffirmed the Dominican government’s ongoing commitment to collaborative work with Washington to advance inclusive shared prosperity and regional stability across the hemisphere.

    Attendees also dedicated time to exploring potential new avenues for expanded collaboration and cultural, economic, and policy exchange across sectors identified as top priorities for both governments. As one of the Dominican Republic’s largest and most influential international partners, the United States maintains deep, multifaceted ties with the island nation spanning cross-border trade, foreign direct investment, security and development cooperation, and extensive interpersonal social connections between Dominican and American communities.

    The entire meeting unfolded in a warm, cordial, and forward-looking atmosphere, with both officials leaving the gathering reaffirming their shared commitment to sustaining open, regular diplomatic dialogue and advancing the bilateral agenda rooted in reciprocal respect for national interests. Bisonó stepped into his new role leading the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) just recently, after he was sworn in by Vice President Raquel Peña in accordance with Decree 554-26, issued by sitting Dominican President Luis Abinader. His appointment follows the resignation of former Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez, who stepped down from the role earlier this year.

  • Dominican Republic launches prenatal care training in Dajabón and Elías Piña

    Dominican Republic launches prenatal care training in Dajabón and Elías Piña

    In the Dominican Republic, national health authorities have rolled out a new frontline training initiative designed to upgrade prenatal care services and lower preventable maternal and newborn health risks across two underserved border provinces, Dajabón and Elías Piña.

    The joint effort, led by the country’s Ministry of Health and National Health Service (SNS), brings together global partners for both financial and technical backing: the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) is covering the program’s core costs, while the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) provides expert technical guidance. The training forms a core component of a broader long-term project targeted at strengthening primary-level maternal and child health services across the two provinces.

    Dominican Health Minister Víctor Atallah emphasized that expanding access to high-quality prenatal care stands as a top public health priority for the current administration. He noted that consistent, routine prenatal checkups are a critical first line of defense, allowing clinicians to catch potential health risks early, head off life-threatening complications before they escalate, and guarantee that expecting mothers receive timely, evidence-based care throughout their pregnancy.

    The intensive three-day training curriculum covers a full spectrum of essential prenatal care skills, including comprehensive whole-pregnancy health assessments, detailed medical history documentation, evidence-based prenatal nutrition guidance, maternal vaccination protocols, patient counseling for expecting families, continuous fetal monitoring techniques, and personalized birth planning. Trainees also build specialized capacity to recognize and respond to urgent obstetric warning signs, such as pregnancy-induced hypertension, abnormal bleeding, and maternal infections. Additionally, the program strengthens participants’ ability to coordinate community-level health monitoring and streamline referrals for high-risk pregnancies that require advanced hospital care.

    SNS Director Julio Landrón explained that the overarching goal of the training program is to advance health equity, ensuring every pregnant woman in the two provinces can access timely, comprehensive prenatal care no matter her residential location or socioeconomic status. As part of the broader project, health authorities will also upgrade infrastructure and services at 31 existing prenatal care centers in Dajabón and 19 more in Elías Piña, with coordinated outreach involving provincial hospitals, practicing physicians, nursing staff, community health promoters, and local basic health management teams.