Dominican Republic protests surge over cost of living and new ‘Ley Mordaza’

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Santo Domingo’s Plaza de la Bandera and other cities such as Santiago, San Cristóbal and San Francisco de Macorís, staging protests and nightly cacerolazos. Participants demand relief from rising food and fuel prices, an end to recurrent power outages, and an overhaul of what they call the “Ley Mordaza” – provisions of a new penal code they say curb freedom of expression. The unrest is fueled by accusations of corruption, alleged police abuses and the recent shooting death of 19‑year‑old Darlin Mercado Reyes by a police officer.

Organisers, including the Somos Pueblo platform and other social groups, call for peaceful rallies and have scheduled a national cacerolada. The government, led by President Luis Abinader, has pledged to keep fuel subsidies in place and urged dialogue, while the Ministry of the Presidency warned against politicising the grievances. Police presence has been heightened but no major incidents were reported, although traffic around the Plaza de la Bandera was disrupted. The protests occur ten months before the 2027 municipal elections and amid debate over the 2027 national budget.