Dominican Constitutional Court upholds ruling on Jaragua National Park boundaries

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court has upheld a ruling requiring the Ministry of Environment to update the National Cadastre of Protected Areas (SINAP) to reflect the territorial changes established under Law 266-04, including the exclusion of four parcels from Jaragua National Park.

In ruling TC/0568/26, the court rejected appeals filed by the Ministry of Environment and the General Administrative Prosecutor’s Office, leaving in place a previous decision by the Superior Administrative Court in favor of Inversiones del Sur, SRL.

The ruling requires the ministry to update official maps and records in accordance with Laws 202-04 and 266-04, which redefined part of the park’s boundaries with the creation of the Southwest Region Tourist Hub.

The court also cited a 2025 technical report by the National Directorate of Cadastral Surveys concluding that the four disputed parcels are not located within Jaragua National Park or any other protected area recognized by law. However, the decision included a dissenting opinion arguing that an amparo action should not be used to identify private properties or alter specific parcels because of potential implications for collective environmental rights.