Palacio Nacional clarifies incident involving removal of journalists

The Presidential Press Office in the Dominican Republic has addressed an incident where accredited journalists were escorted out of the Palacio Nacional while waiting to cover a meeting of the National Council of the Magistracy (CNM).

Carlos Alberto Caminero, Director of Presidential Press, characterized the event as a ‘lamentable confusion.’ He stated that no official order was issued to remove the media and emphasized that President Luis Abinader’s administration maintains an open policy toward the press. According to the official explanation, security personnel accompanied journalists toward the exit, which some reporters interpreted as a restriction on their work, though the administration maintains the agents acted with courtesy.

The administration clarified that the CNM session would be broadcast through official channels, providing images and details to the media subsequently. While the government denies any intent to create friction with news outlets, the incident has raised questions regarding security protocols and the clarity of instructions given to presidential security agents during high-profile judicial proceedings.