Carib Scope

标签： Dominican Republic

多米尼加共和国

  • MIREX urges caution over job offers sending Dominicans to Russia

    MIREX urges caution over job offers sending Dominicans to Russia

    Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic – In an official public advisory released September 24, the Dominican Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) has issued an urgent warning to the nation’s citizens about fraudulent job recruitment schemes that falsely promise civilian employment in Russia, before funneling recruits into military service amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

    The foreign ministry’s guidance comes in response to a growing number of formal complaints from Dominican nationals who have fallen victim to the deceptive operations. Recruiters typically operate entirely through online platforms or unvetted third-party intermediaries, luring job seekers with attractive work offers that require international travel to Russia. Once recruits arrive in the country, they are coerced or misled into signing military contracts and deployed to active frontline combat zones in Ukraine, according to survivor accounts.

    One high-profile case that has brought national attention to the scam involves 28-year-old Juan Carlos Ávila Espaillat, a native of Higüey, Dominican Republic. Ávila Espaillat told reporters he traveled to Russia earlier this year after accepting what he believed was a legitimate civilian job offer. He only realized the true nature of the arrangement after being pressured to sign a military contract and shipped to the frontlines against Ukraine. The young man later shared graphic video footage from a Russian military hospital, where he was recovering from severe leg injuries sustained in a combined attack involving drones and landmines. His story has become a central example of the deadly risks posed by these fraudulent recruitment networks.

    In its formal statement, MIREX urged Dominican citizens to exercise extreme vigilance when evaluating any international job offer, especially those that come through unconfirmed online channels or brokers with no verifiable professional credentials. The ministry outlined clear steps for job seekers to protect themselves: all applicants must independently verify the source of any employment offer, confirm the legal identity of the hiring organization, and review every term of a proposed contract in full before making travel arrangements or signing any binding documentation. The advisory repeated its recommendation that Dominicans complete full background checks on both job opportunities and the parties facilitating them before agreeing to travel internationally.

    For citizens who have already fallen for the deceptive offers and found themselves trapped in high-risk or vulnerable situations abroad, MIREX confirmed it will extend full consular support to assist with resolving their cases and securing safe return where possible.

  • Dominican Army intensifies border operations against smuggling and irregular migration

    Dominican Army intensifies border operations against smuggling and irregular migration

    In a week-long series of nationwide security and border enforcement operations held between September 14 and 20, 2026, the Dominican Republic Army (Ejército de República Dominicana, ERD) has carried out major crackdowns on cross-border illicit activity, detaining more than 3,600 irregular Haitian migrants and confiscating tens of thousands of prohibited smuggled goods, official military records confirm.

    Per the service’s freshly released weekly operational briefing, the seizures and detentions formed part of the ERD’s sustained ongoing missions: stepped-up border surveillance, enhanced nationwide territorial security protocols, and strict immigration control enforcement that targets unauthorized entry and contraband trafficking networks.

    Among the more than 31,000 seized contraband units were 29,400 packs of contraband cigarettes, 1,434 bottles of unregulated rum, and 115 bottles of untaxed whiskey. The vast majority of the cigarette seizures were executed by frontline troops assigned to the ERD’s 4th and 5th Infantry Brigades, which are responsible for patrolling high-traffic smuggling corridors along the country’s border.

    Beyond contraband and immigration enforcement, military authorities also took 14 individuals into custody who have since been transferred to the national judicial system to face formal charges. Twelve of these detainees face felony charges linked to human smuggling networks that facilitate the entry of undocumented migrants, while the remaining two were arrested on suspicion of illegal firearms possession.

    As part of the ERD’s targeted crackdown on illicit activity along the Dominican-Haitian border, operation teams also impounded 52 vehicles used by smuggling networks: 43 motorcycles, four passenger sedans, five sport utility vehicles, and one minivan. Troops with the ERD’s 3rd Infantry Brigade also recovered two unregistered homemade firearms during searches within the brigade’s area of responsibility.

    The weekly operational update also placed the most recent results in context of the ERD’s broader month-long enforcement push. Between August 17 and September 13, 2026, the service’s nationwide operations netted more than 536,000 contraband items, 84 portions of marijuana, and 131 vehicles, while detaining nearly 9,900 migrants with irregular immigration status.

    In a closing statement, ERD leadership reaffirmed that the military will continue ramping up its operational presence in border regions as part of long-term national commitments to dismantle transnational illicit networks, safeguard public and territorial security, and defend the Dominican Republic’s sovereign borders.

  • Dominican Republic calls for stronger measures to protect coastal communities

    Dominican Republic calls for stronger measures to protect coastal communities

    Against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, a pressing call for collective action on climate change has emerged from the Caribbean region. At the 4th Climate Mobility Summit, a parallel event focusing on climate-driven population movement, Max Puig, executive vice president of the Dominican Republic’s National Council for Climate Change and Carbon Market (CNCCMC), delivered a clear appeal for strengthened cross-border collaboration to counter accelerating sea level rise and the climate displacement it triggers.

    Puig opened his remarks by stressing that no single Caribbean nation can shoulder the burden of this growing crisis alone. As a small island developing state with over 1,500 kilometers of exposed coastline, the Dominican Republic offers a stark example of the region’s vulnerability. Most of the country’s population, critical infrastructure, and core economic sectors are concentrated along its shorelines, leaving these assets extremely exposed to the gradual advance of rising seas. If current warming trends continue, Puig explained, higher sea levels will exacerbate a cascade of interconnected threats: intensified coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion into freshwater supplies, more frequent and severe flooding, and amplified storm surges that overwhelm coastal defenses. These changes do not only threaten human settlements—they also degrade the natural barriers that protect communities, including mangroves, coral reefs, and sand beaches, all of which underpin the Caribbean’s two largest economic pillars: fishing and tourism.

    The human cost of this degradation is already visible, Puig emphasized. More than 9,000 Dominican fishermen and their families rely directly on healthy coral reefs for their livelihoods. As reefs decline, this endangers not just jobs and household incomes, but also local food security and the ability of generations-old coastal communities to remain on their traditional lands. For the Dominican Republic, displacement driven by climate hazards is not a distant threat: national data records show more than 79,000 people were displaced by climate and weather disasters between 2017 and 2022, most from sudden extreme weather events. Unlike these acute events, Puig noted, sea level rise acts as a slow-onset crisis that gradually erodes the habitability and economic viability of coastal areas, creating a hidden, steady flow of displacement that is often overlooked in global climate planning.

    The scale of potential displacement across the entire Greater Caribbean region is staggering. Projections from the Climate Mobility Model for the Greater Caribbean estimate that by 2050, roughly 8.2 million people could be permanently displaced by the economic impacts of climate change, with nearly 6 million of those people relocating within their own national borders. Puig was careful to clarify that these figures are not definitive predictions—instead, they serve as an urgent warning to help governments proactively plan for future pressures on communities, housing, critical infrastructure, and public services that will come with widespread displacement.

    To address this growing crisis, Puig outlined three non-negotiable priorities for regional and global action. First, he called for greatly expanded, accessible financing for climate adaptation projects, noting that small island developing states lack the capital to fund large-scale coastal protection and planning on their own. Second, he urged regional cooperation frameworks that center the protection of the rights and dignity of displaced communities, rather than treating displacement as a purely administrative problem. Third, he pushed for a just green economic transition that generates new, sustainable employment opportunities for young people in the region, creating alternatives to climate-vulnerable coastal livelihoods.

    Currently, the CNCCMC is partnering with the Global Center for Climate Mobility to develop public policies and international cooperation mechanisms designed to shield vulnerable communities and their unique cultural heritage from climate-related harm. This work aligns with the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise, a global agreement that aims to improve risk mapping and data collection, strengthen adaptation capacity, expand climate financing, and protect at-risk communities. The declaration also prioritizes the preservation and documentation of cultural heritage threatened by sea level rise, including traditional territories, historic cemeteries, sacred indigenous sites, archaeological landmarks, and culturally significant coastal landscapes that define the identity of Caribbean communities.

  • Convention center could attract larger international events to the Dominican Republic

    Convention center could attract larger international events to the Dominican Republic

    The Dominican Republic holds untapped potential to expand its footprint in the global business tourism landscape, but unlocking that growth depends on advancing a long-awaited dedicated convention center, according to a top international industry leader. Martin Boyle, executive director of the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO), laid out this strategic recommendation during the SDQ MICE 2026 forum, where industry stakeholders gathered to assess the country’s standing in the global meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector.

    Boyle told attendees that large international event organizers consistently rank flexible, purpose-built infrastructure among their top priorities when selecting host destinations. Major global industry associations require expansive, adaptable venues that can be reconfigured to suit everything from large plenary sessions to segmented breakout workshops, a need that existing scattered venues in the Dominican Republic are unable to fully meet. A custom-designed convention center, he emphasized, would remove the key barrier to attracting larger, higher-profile international congresses that currently bypass the country for destinations with purpose-built infrastructure.

    Outlining key specifications for the proposed facility, Boyle noted that IAPCO recommends building a center sized to accommodate between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees, a capacity that aligns with the majority of mid-to-large scale international conferences seeking Caribbean and Latin American host destinations. He added that strategic site selection is non-negotiable: the center must be located within easy reach of the country’s largest hotel clusters and major transportation arteries to accommodate traveling attendees. Furthermore, Boyle stressed that long-term planning is critical, urging Dominican officials to design the facility to meet evolving industry needs for at least the next 15 years, to avoid costly premature renovations or expansions.

    New data presented at the forum from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) illustrates both the Dominican Republic’s recent progress and remaining room for growth in the MICE sector. In 2025, the country hosted 31 international association events, marking a significant 41% increase from the 22 events it hosted in 2024. Despite this upward trajectory, the Dominican Republic still lags behind other major regional tourism destinations. For comparison, Costa Rica hosted 44 international events in 2025, Panama hosted 45, Colombia hosted 158, and regional leader Mexico hosted 191 events, highlighting the gap the new convention center could help close.

    While the need for the facility is widely acknowledged by industry and government alike, the project has yet to move past preliminary planning stages. The Dominican government has already taken initial steps to advance the proposal, acquiring a portion of the land occupied by the existing Hotel Santo Domingo in the capital for the convention center project back in 2025. Back in June of that year, Tourism Minister David Collado announced that demolition of the existing structure on the site would get underway roughly three months after the announcement. As of the time of the SDQ MICE 2026 forum, full construction work on the long-awaited facility has not yet commenced. Once completed, industry leaders widely expect the new convention center to become a cornerstone of the country’s strategy to draw larger international events and solidify its status as a top business tourism destination in the Latin American and Caribbean region.

  • Abinader and Governor Hochul discuss stronger cooperation between the Dominican Republic and New York

    Abinader and Governor Hochul discuss stronger cooperation between the Dominican Republic and New York

    A high-stakes diplomatic meeting between Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader and New York Governor Kathy Hochul has marked a new milestone in bilateral partnership, with both leaders moving to solidify and expand collaboration on multiple priority areas that build on discussions launched during Hochul’s 2023 visit to the Caribbean nation.

    In opening remarks, President Abinader extended sincere gratitude to Governor Hochul for her consistent backing of the large Dominican diaspora in New York State, a community that numbers more than one million people including first-generation immigrants and individuals of Dominican descent. He framed New York as one of the Dominican Republic’s most critical non-national partners, pointing to the deep cultural, economic and social ties that bind the two jurisdictions together.

    One of the central pillars of the renewed cooperation agreement is emergency and disaster response. Currently, around 40 senior Dominican officials specializing in emergency management and public safety are based in New York taking part in a week-long training and collaboration summit designed to boost regional capacity for disaster preparedness, rapid response and post-event recovery. Governor Hochul confirmed that New York is opening its wealth of institutional experience and purpose-built emergency response infrastructure to the Dominican delegation, a knowledge-sharing initiative that is expected to strengthen disaster resilience for both sides. Climate-related extreme events have grown more frequent across the Caribbean in recent years, making cross-border disaster cooperation an increasingly urgent priority.

    Beyond public safety, the two leaders announced the expansion of collaborative efforts to address pressing environmental challenges. Governor Hochul highlighted new technical support that will be provided by New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation to restoration and cleanup efforts for the Yaque River, a critical water source for the Dominican Republic that has grappled with widespread industrial and residential pollution for decades.

    The talks also covered a range of other issues of shared concern, including shifting economic conditions, volatile global energy costs and fluctuating fuel prices that have impacted both jurisdictions. A key social policy conversation centered on the Dominican community in New York, where many residents have raised growing anxiety over recent shifts in federal immigration policy and an uptick in enforcement actions. Governor Hochul emphasized the outsized cultural and economic contributions Dominican residents make to New York, and reiterated her administration’s commitment to ensuring all community members feel safe, supported and valued in the state.

    For his part, President Abinader drew on personal context to underscore the depth of the connection between the two regions, sharing that his own family has a history of immigration to the United States. He thanked the governor and her administration for their ongoing partnership and support for Dominican nationals and descendants living in New York.

    By the close of the meeting, both leaders issued joint statements affirming their shared commitment to continuing to deepen institutional ties, explore new collaborative opportunities and expand existing partnerships in the coming years, laying the groundwork for more productive engagement moving forward.

  • Bisonó and Lavrov hold high-level talks on Haiti and Dominican-Russian relations

    Bisonó and Lavrov hold high-level talks on Haiti and Dominican-Russian relations

    Against the backdrop of the 81st United Nations General Assembly’s annual High-Level Week in New York, a high-stakes bilateral meeting brought together Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to address a range of pressing issues spanning regional security, bilateral ties, and matters of mutual national concern.

    The destabilizing crisis in neighboring Haiti emerged as a central topic of discussion during the talks. Bisonó underscored that the international community cannot afford to shift its focus away from the escalating violence and instability plaguing the Caribbean nation, emphasizing that sustained global attention and coordinated support are critical to advancing efforts to rebuild public security and establish lasting governance in Haiti. The two ministers deliberated on ongoing international security initiatives aimed at curbing the power of armed gangs that have controlled large swathes of Haitian territory for years. They jointly agreed that the UN Security Council bears the core responsibility of securing adequate financial resources and deploying qualified personnel required for the multinational security mission to effectively counter gang violence and lay the groundwork for Haiti’s recovery.

    Beyond the regional crisis in Haiti, Bisonó brought forward a pressing concern for the Dominican Republic: recent reports of targeted job recruitment campaigns that lure Dominican citizens to travel to Russia, with alleged links to activities connected to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. In response to the diplomatic outreach, Lavrov directed Russia’s Latin America and Caribbean relations department to launch a follow-up investigation into the reports, committing to ensure that Dominican Republic’s concerns are communicated to relevant Russian authorities. Both sides reached a consensus to keep open lines of communication to resolve the issue moving forward.

    The meeting also served as an opportunity to take stock of the overall state of Dominican-Russian diplomatic and economic relations. The two leaders explored actionable pathways to revitalize bilateral economic and commercial exchanges, which have faced significant disruption amid shifting global geopolitical tensions and a volatile international economic environment. Discussions also touched on expanding cooperation in the tourism sector, a key driver of economic growth for the Dominican Republic, identifying untapped opportunities to deepen people-to-people and commercial ties between the two nations.

  • Fuel prices rise by RD$2 to RD$4

    Fuel prices rise by RD$2 to RD$4

    The Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MICM) has rolled out a new round of fuel price adjustments that will take effect from September 25 through October 2, bringing mixed changes to different fuel products, with most major transportation fuels seeing cost increases between 2 Dominican pesos (RD$) and RD$4 per gallon.

    Under the new pricing scheme, premium gasoline will climb to RD$353.10 per gallon, representing a RD$3 per gallon increase. Regular gasoline will be priced at RD$317.50 per gallon, after a RD$2 per gallon uptick. For diesel products, premium diesel will see a RD$4 per gallon rise, while regular diesel increases by RD$3 per gallon. While some other minor fuel categories will actually see price cuts during this period, the widely used household and industrial energy sources liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas will stay at their current price points with no adjustments.

    Government officials attribute these price increases to persistent instability in the global energy market. Two key geopolitical factors are driving up international crude and refined product prices: ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted regional production and shipping networks, and new navigation restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical chokepoints for global oil trade. These overlapping developments have created sustained upward pressure on oil prices worldwide, forcing local authorities to pass a portion of the increased costs onto consumers.

  • Santo Domingo Book Fair inaugurates Panama, José Mármol and Comics pavilions

    Santo Domingo Book Fair inaugurates Panama, José Mármol and Comics pavilions

    The XXVIII Santo Domingo International Book Fair (FILSD 2026), one of the Caribbean’s most anticipated annual cultural gatherings, marked a key milestone in its 2026 iteration this Thursday with the official inauguration of three distinct pavilions, each bringing unique cultural and literary value to the 11-day event. Leading the opening ceremonies was Roberto Ángel Salcedo, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Culture, who highlighted the fair’s ongoing mission to celebrate regional literary heritage and foster cross-cultural exchange among neighboring nations.

    As the 2026 edition’s guest of honor country, Panama unveiled a thoughtfully curated pavilion designed to immerse visitors in the nation’s rich cultural identity. The space showcases authentic Panama folklore, traditional handicrafts, and centuries-old cultural traditions that define Panamanian life, offering fair attendees a vivid glimpse into the country’s history and modern cultural landscape. The opening of the Panama pavilion drew senior diplomatic representatives from both nations, including Yira Ramonet, Panama’s Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, and Roberto Salcedo, the Dominican Ambassador to Panama, alongside a host of cultural affairs officials from both sides, underscoring the strong bilateral cultural ties the event seeks to strengthen.

    Alongside the national guest pavilion, FILSD 2026 also debuted a dedicated pavilion honoring José Mármol, this year’s selected honored author. Mármol, a towering figure in contemporary Dominican literary circles, has built a 40-plus-year career as a celebrated poet and essayist, whose work has shaped decades of Dominican literary discourse and earned him recognition as one of the most vital voices in modern Caribbean literature. The pavilion serves as a retrospective of his career, featuring original manuscripts, personal items, and discussions of his most influential works.

    The third newly inaugurated space, the fair’s popular Comic Pavilion, caters to lovers of sequential art, illustration, and contemporary visual culture. As part of its 2026 programming, the pavilion opened with a moving posthumous tribute to Harold Priego, a beloved Dominican cartoonist whose work left an indelible mark on the nation’s comic and visual arts scene. The tribute will run throughout the fair, showcasing a collection of Priego’s most iconic works and celebrating his contributions to the development of Dominican comic culture.

    Scheduled to run from September 24 through October 4 at the centrally located Juan Pablo Duarte Cultural Plaza in Santo Domingo, FILSD 2026 is designed to engage audiences across all age groups, bringing together a diverse program of literary discussions, art exhibitions, workshops, and public cultural events that make literature and the arts accessible to the entire community.

  • Brooklyn declares September 24 Dominican Pride Day during Abinader’s visit

    Brooklyn declares September 24 Dominican Pride Day during Abinader’s visit

    During an official working visit to Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader gathered with leaders and members of the city’s large Dominican diaspora community for a historic event that marked a new chapter in ties between the borough and the Caribbean nation.

    The meeting was hosted by Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who used the occasion to make a landmark proclamation: September 24, 2026 will officially be known as Dominican Pride Day in Brooklyn. The designation serves two key purposes: to honor the countless social, economic, and cultural contributions that the Dominican diaspora has made to the borough’s growth and identity, and to commemorate President Abinader’s landmark visit to the community.

    Reynoso, who made history as both the first Dominican and the first Latino to hold the office of Brooklyn Borough President, opened his remarks by celebrating the profound impact of the local Dominican community. He noted that more than 100,000 Dominican residents currently call Brooklyn home, and that their contributions span every sector from small business to public service, arts to education. Reynoso expressed optimism that President Abinader’s visit would create new pathways for collaboration between Brooklyn and the Dominican Republic, unlocking mutually beneficial opportunities for diaspora members on both sides of the border. As part of the event, Reynoso was honored with an award recognizing his commitment to public service and his advocacy for Dominican heritage.

    In his address to the gathered community, President Abinader spoke of his pride in the achievements of Dominicans based in Brooklyn, emphasizing the critical role the diaspora plays in supporting the Dominican Republic’s economic and social development. He thanked community members for their ongoing support of family and friends back home, via consistent remittances, direct investment in local projects, and personal assistance that lifts millions of households out of economic uncertainty.

    The Dominican president also outlined his administration’s ongoing work to improve access to government services for Dominican citizens living abroad. He highlighted ongoing efforts to expand consular service access across the United States and digitize routine government procedures to reduce wait times and bureaucratic friction for the diaspora. Most importantly, Abinader argued that continued progress and economic expansion within the Dominican Republic will deliver the greatest long-term benefits to Dominicans living overseas, strengthening national identity and creating more opportunities for cross-border exchange.

    To illustrate the progress his administration has delivered, President Abinader pointed to major gains across multiple key sectors. He noted that between 2019 and the first half of 2026, the national poverty rate fell sharply from 25.9% to 14.8%. Other key achievements include expanded infrastructure across the country, a resurgent tourism sector that drives job growth, improved energy security and access, new mass transit projects serving urban populations, targeted development of the Pedernales region, and new industrial initiatives in Manzanillo.

    On the public safety front, Abinader confirmed that the Dominican government is continuing to prioritize reducing violent crime, specifically homicides, and implementing comprehensive reform of the National Police to improve accountability and community trust. He also acknowledged that the country, like many across the globe, faces new and emerging challenges, particularly in connection to the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the need to develop adaptive governance frameworks for new technologies.

    In addition to the proclamation of Dominican Pride Day, the event brought major news for Dominican residents in New York: Jesus Vásquez Martínez, the Dominican Consul General in New York, announced that the Dominican Consulate in Brooklyn has received permanent authorization from the U.S. Department of State and is now fully operational. Vásquez Martínez also confirmed that the Dominican Central Electoral Board will maintain an on-site presence at the new Brooklyn consulate, allowing local residents to complete voter registration, update their information, and access other electoral services without traveling to Manhattan.

    Closing out the formal remarks, Reverend Father Jeremías Castillo praised President Abinader’s recent call for a national day of prayer in the Dominican Republic, noting that the initiative aligns deeply with the nation’s long-standing religious traditions and shared cultural history.

    The event capped off a day of meetings between President Abinader and local community leaders, reinforcing the close ties between the Dominican Republic and one of the largest Dominican diaspora communities in the United States.

  • Abinader receives Americas Society’s highest honor for leadership and regional impact

    Abinader receives Americas Society’s highest honor for leadership and regional impact

    In a formal ceremony held in New York City this week, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has been honored with the Gold Badge, the highest distinction bestowed by the Americas Society, in recognition of his transformative leadership at home, successful post-pandemic economic recovery, and unwavering commitment to democratic governance and cross-regional collaboration. The award was officially presented to Abinader by Susan Segal, President and CEO of Americas Society/Council of the Americas, and Andrés Gluski, the organization’s board chairman. The president was joined at the event by First Lady Raquel Arbaje, their daughters, and Dominican Republic Foreign Minister Víctor “Ito” Bisonó.

    In his acceptance address, President Abinader outlined the striking socioeconomic advances his administration has delivered over recent years, citing official domestic data to underscore progress. He noted that the Dominican Republic has maintained a steady 4.5% annual economic growth rate, while cutting the national monetary poverty rate nearly in half from 26% in 2019 to just 14.5% in the first half of 2026. Prevalence of undernourishment across the country has also plummeted over his tenure, dropping from 8.7% to less than 2.5%, he added.

    Looking ahead to the full year, Abinader projected that the Dominican Republic will welcome close to 12.4 million international tourists by the end of 2026, a new milestone for the country’s key tourism sector. He also forecast that total foreign direct investment inflows will surpass $5.2 billion this year. Abinader highlighted the rapid expansion of the country’s free trade zones, growing exports of medical devices and electronic equipment, and his administration’s forward-looking policy focus on emerging high-growth sectors including artificial intelligence and semiconductor assembly.

    Beyond economic progress, the president emphasized his administration’s longstanding commitment to strengthening democratic institutions across the Dominican Republic. He pointed to the 2024 constitutional reform that codified a two-term limit for sitting presidents, framing the measure as a core part of his administration’s lasting legacy. He used the occasion to reaffirm the Dominican Republic’s dedication to upholding democratic norms and deepening collaborative ties across the Americas.

    The Gold Badge, the Americas Society’s most prestigious award, is reserved exclusively for democratically elected leaders whose work has delivered significant, long-lasting positive impact to their nations and the broader Western Hemisphere. In his opening remarks ahead of the award presentation, Gluski praised Abinader for his effective leadership steering the Dominican Republic through post-crisis economic recovery, strengthening national public institutions, advancing regional cooperation on public security, and building more resilient global supply chains with partners across the hemisphere.