Thursday, February 19, 2026

Abinader inaugurates Procigar Festival 2026

Santiago. — President Luis Abinader inaugurated this Wednesday the XVIII Procigar Festival 2026, the most relevant international platform of the Dominican premium cigar industry, which brings together producers, master blenders, distributors and enthusiasts from more than 40 countries, consolidating the global positioning of Dominican tobacco and its impact on the national economy. The head of State participated in the first big night of the festival, reaffirming the Government's support for a strategic sector for the national economy due to its impact on job creation, the strengthening of exports and the dynamism of free zones and producing communities linked to tobacco. The president's participation in the official opening highlighted the value of this industry as a hallmark of Dominican quality to the world, as well as its contribution to the development of the Cibao region, where tradition, investment, innovation and productive culture converge.

Within the framework of the opening, the president of Procigar, Litto Gómez, thanked the presence of the first leader and emphasized the expansive development that this industry has experienced with the support of government management. Litto Gómez, founder of La Flor Dominicana, was elected president of the Association of Cigar Producers of the Dominican Republic (Procigar) in June 2024, an entity that brings together the main premium cigar manufacturers in the country.

You can also read: Abinader inaugurates the Noriega I Plant and the System
The festival, organized by the Association of Cigar Producers of the Dominican Republic (Procigar), unfolds as an exclusive experience that combines closeness to the art of cigar creation, entertainment, and a wide selection of premium cigars. Through this platform, Procigar continues to promote the Dominican cigar industry and strengthen its international positioning. During these days, participants are part of a circuit of simultaneous visits to factories and tobacco fields in the region, where they learn firsthand the process that transforms the leaf into pieces of excellence. The agenda also includes cultural experiences and tours that highlight the attractions of the Dominican Republic, connecting tradition, tourism, and industry. Each day culminates with a grand dinner in which around a thousand national and international guests celebrate the quality of Dominican tobacco. The welcome dinner officially marked the beginning of the festival's social agenda and, this year, was inspired by cocoa as the common thread of the experience, present in the gastronomic proposal, desserts, liquors, and ambiance details. In a carefully designed environment, the evening symbolized the reunion of cigar enthusiasts who gather each year in Santiago de los Caballeros, as well as the welcome to the participants who join for the first time. With this beginning, the Procigar Festival 2026 reaffirms its international reach and consolidates the Dominican Republic as a global reference in the production of premium cigars, in an edition that began with the institutional support of President Luis Abinader, in recognition of a sector that contributes value, employment and prestige to the country.

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