Authorities crack down on illegal logging in Mexico and Dominican Republic

Authorities in Mexico and the Dominican Republic are taking legal action against unauthorized tree removal and forest destruction.

In San Luis Potosí, Mexico, the Municipal Services Directorate has initiated nine procedures this year regarding unauthorized tree interventions. Officials noted that even if a tree is reported as diseased, residents must obtain municipal authorization and undergo a formal diagnosis before removal. The municipality has warned that violators will face sanctions and are required to provide restitution for the lost vegetation.

In the Dominican Republic, a court in San José de Ocoa imposed three months of preventive detention on two individuals, Juan Encarnación and Nery Encarnación, following reports of illegal logging in the Valle Nuevo National Park buffer zone. Investigators documented the destruction of various tree species across approximately 30 tareas of land near a stream. The Ministry of Environment emphasized that protecting natural heritage and protected areas is a matter of national strategic priority.