Holy Sunday.- In the commemorative events of the 181st anniversary of Juan Pablo Duarte's triumphant return to the country After National Independence, the president of the Duartian Institute, Wilson Gomez Ramirez, warned that the absence of clear regulations is allowing foreigners to acquire properties in the Colonial City.
In the opinion of the Duartiano leader, this situation puts the nation's identity and historical heritage at risk, and he called on legislators to implement measures to protect these spaces of cultural and symbolic value.
Gómez Ramírez raised his voice in defense of Dominican heritage and, in turn, expressed the entity's concern about the lack of legislation to preserve the Colonial City, which already includes individual houses, apartments, and commercial premises that constitute this architectural complex that is part of republican history and, in some cases, also of colonial history.
He maintained that The ownership of such real estate should have been reserved for Dominicans and that the same situation persists in the border region, where, despite the constitutional mandate to establish a legal provision that only Dominicans can own property in a certain area, foreigners continue to acquire properties.
The president of the Duartian Institute He pointed out that this also puts at risk the land sovereignty and a strategic part of the Dominican Republic, in its border area.
Events commemorating the 181st anniversary of Duarte's return after Independence
With a solemn patriotic ceremony, the Duarte Institute, in coordination with the Dominican Navy, commemorated this Saturday the 181st anniversary of the "triumphant return" of Juan Pablo Duarte, which took place on March 15, 1844, following the proclamation of National Independence.
The event took place at the Sea Turtle Sanctuary in Sans Soucí, an iconic site bordering the Naval Club for Navy Officers. The event was led by Wilson Gómez Ramírez, president of the Duartiano Institute, and Rear Admiral Juan Gilberto Núñez, representing the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Agustín Morillo Rodríguez.
The ceremony began with a parade of the national flag and Duartianos, accompanied by the Navy band and members of the Duartiano Institute, and continued with a floral offering at the monument to the patriot, reaffirming the nation's commitment to its independence legacy.
The keynote address was given by Gómez Ramírez, who highlighted the historical significance of Duarte's return and his fight for Dominican independence, while Rear Admiral Núñez offered a few words alluding to the event's importance.
The president of the patriotic entity emphasized "the reception that the people and the healthy sector of the authorities gave to the Trinidadian leader, General Juan Pablo Duarte, because as soon as he set foot on land, 21 cannon shots were fired from the Ozama Fortress... then, he moved to the Plaza de Armas and there he was proclaimed head of the Army of the Republic, although his adversaries entrenched in the Central Governing Board, simply named Duarte Brigadier General."
For his part, Rear Admiral Núñez highlighted the historical importance of the return of the father of the nation after the proclamation of National Independence, given that his presence helped unite the Trinidadians, strengthen patriotic sentiment, lay the foundations for preserving sovereignty and restoring it whenever it had been violated.
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As a final act, the Navy band performed the national anthem in honor of Juan Pablo Duarte, followed by the traditional reverence for the hero with the throwing of roses into the Caribbean waters. This moving gesture symbolized the nation's gratitude and respect for the independence leader.
The event was attended by members of the Duarte Institute's national board of directors, including Julio Manuel Rodríguez Grullón, vice president; José Pilia Moreno Duarte, treasurer; Víctor Zabala Sánchez, governor of the Duarte House and Museum; and representatives of the Dominican Navy.
With this commemorative event, these organizations reiterated their commitment to preserving the memory and legacy of Juan Pablo Duarte, reaffirming his role as a fundamental pillar of national identity.
