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Dominican Republic constitutional anniversary commemorations

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2026-11-06 20:25 UTC → 2026-11-07 05:14 UTC · added removed

The Dominican Chamber of Deputies held an extraordinary session in San Cristóbal to commemorate Republic commemorated the 182nd anniversary of the nation’s first Constitution. During the session, President Alfredo Pacheco emphasized the Constitution as the foundation of the democratic and republican government. Legislators used the session to approve an urgent modification to Article 31 of Law No. 44-26 concerning the criminal liability regime for legal entities. Pacheco identified the 2010 constitutional reform as the most significant in the nation’s history, noting it established the Constitutional Court and the social, democratic, and rule-of-law state. Meanwhile, former senator Cristina Lizardo remarked that the anniversary occurs amidst national concerns regarding the economy, citizen security, and alleged violations of fundamental rights. Lizardo advocated for increased socialization of the Constitution in schools to improve citizen understanding proclamation of rights and duties. Commemorative activities for the anniversary, which marks the November 6, 1844, signing its first Constitution, signed in San Cristóbal following on November 6, 1844. Following the nation's independence from Haiti, included a civic-military parade the anniversary was marked by official ceremonies led by Vice President Raquel Peña. Peña, who acted as head of state. Peña presided over a civic, military, and police parade on Constitution Avenue, which included students from more than 20 educational centers, the Armed Forces, and the National Police. During a solemn hearing held by the Constitutional Court, Court at the Instituto Politécnico Loyola, President Napoleón R. Estévez Lavandier stated addressed the significance of legal protections. He emphasized that the strength of a constitutional state relies depends on the effective protection effectiveness of fundamental rights mechanisms used to guarantee rights, rather than just their proclamation. Historical context highlights the mere recognition of those rights in the Magna Carta. He noted that these guarantees serve as essential legal instruments to ensure human dignity and prevent abuses of power. Historically, the original drafting of the Constitution was marked shaped by tension tensions between supporters of a civil republican government, civilian rule, such as Juan Pablo Duarte, and those backing General military leaders like Pedro Santana. This friction resulted in the inclusion of Article 210 to address Santana’s concerns regarding Santana, who sought expanded executive powers. powers through Article 210. Since its inception, the Constitution document has undergone approximately 40 modifications, reforms, including recent changes updates in October 2024 regarding presidential reelection and the selection of the Attorney General.

Versions

  1. 2026-11-07 05:14 UTC Dominican Republic constitutional anniversary commemorations
  2. 2026-11-06 20:25 UTC Dominican Republic constitutional anniversary commemorations
  3. 2026-11-06 15:12 UTC Dominican Republic constitutional anniversary commemorations
  4. 2026-11-06 01:49 UTC Dominican Republic constitutional anniversary commemorations

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