More than 35,000 police and military agents will integrate "Protect and Serve Operation Holy Week 2026"

Santo Domingo.- The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, led this Tuesday the launch of the "Protect and Serve Holy Week Operation 2026", during an event held at the headquarters of the National Police, which highlighted inter-institutional coordination as a fundamental axis to guarantee citizen security throughout the country during the holiday.

For the development of this comprehensive preventive, deterrent, and action security device, the participation of 25,000 police officers and 10,000 members of the Armed Forces will be counted on. The activity was attended by the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre; the Minister of Interior and Police, Faride Raful; and the Director General of the National Police, Major General Andrés Modesto Cruz Cruz, along with members of the General Staff of the Armed Forces and the Police Major Staff.

Also participating were the Attorney General of the Republic, Yeni Berenice Reynoso; the president of the National Directorate for Drug Control (DNCD), Vice Admiral José Manuel Cabrera Ulloa (ARD); and the Director General of Migration, Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, among other authorities. During the event, it was highlighted that this operation is the result of a joint planning process between the National Police, the Armed Forces, and the various state security agencies, aimed at preventing incidents, strengthening the institutional presence in strategic points, and ensuring a timely response to any eventuality.

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Interior and Police Minister Faride Raful explained that the strategy contemplates the coordinated deployment of units on highways, spas, tourist centers, and high-mobility urban areas, supported by intelligence work, preventive patrols, and mixed controls. This approach seeks not only to reduce the occurrence of crimes but also to minimize traffic accidents and risk situations during the massive movement of citizens.

In his central words, Major General Cruz Cruz formally initiated the operation, highlighting that the main objective is to protect human life and preserve public order. He indicated that the institution is advancing in its transformation process, with a more trained, articulated, and citizen-friendly police.

Likewise, he emphasized that the vocation of service is an essential pillar in police action, indicating that each intervention must be carried out with discipline, prudence and intelligence, in permanent coordination with the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

Finally, the authorities urged citizens to act responsibly, respect the rules, and adopt preventive measures during Holy Week. They agreed that security is a shared commitment between the State and the population, and that citizen collaboration is key to achieving a safe holiday.

"Serving is an honor and protecting is a duty," was the message reiterated as part of the institutional commitment assumed in this national operation.