Dominican Republic cuts homicide rate to 8.3, now second safest in Latin America, President says

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader announced today that the Dominican Republic’s homicide rate has fallen from 13.79 per 100,000 inhabitants in June 2023 to 8.3 in July 2025, according to the latest Inside Crime report. This decline places the country second only to El Salvador in safety across Latin America.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing, Abinader credited the national Joint Task Force, launched in June 2023, for unifying law enforcement, the judiciary and other security agencies under data‑driven strategies. “Every Monday we spend three hours reviewing crime indicators, high‑impact cases and socioeconomic factors,” he said, explaining how resources are shifted rapidly to provinces or municipalities where crime spikes.

Of the 34 provinces analyzed, 24 now report homicide rates below 10 per 100,000. Abinader noted that more than half of violent deaths stem from interpersonal conflicts, with 21.5 percent linked to criminal activity, 16.4 percent to confrontations between criminals and authorities, and 10.5 percent still under investigation. Meanwhile, robbery has declined by 22.5 percent since 2023.

Despite these gains, public concern remains high as viral footage and social media amplify isolated incidents. “We live in a world of constant video and photo sharing,” Abinader observed. “Even a single event can create the perception of rising crime. We understand people’s worries.”

On drug‑trafficking fronts, authorities have seized some 220 metric tons of narcotics since 2020, detained over 173,000 suspects and confiscated RD$182 million and US$13 million in assets. Micro‑trafficking operations have led to 850,000 raids, nearly 163,000 arrests and the seizure of vehicles, weapons and cash.

Abinader also highlighted the secure X‑Road platform, which connects 33 government agencies for real‑time intelligence sharing, and noted U.S. recognition of the Dominican Republic’s success in capturing fugitive nationals. He concluded by inviting ministers and security experts from 30 to 35 OAS member states to the VIII Meeting of Ministers of Public Security of the Americas, to be held July 16–17 in Santiago de los Caballeros.