Dominican Plot Suspect Gets Bail, Not Jail

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · COURTS

A Dominican judge on Friday 13 November 2026 refused to jail a 29-year-old man accused of planning an attack on President Luis Abinader, ordering a cash guarantee of RD$1 million (about US$16,500) instead. The Public Ministry, the country’s prosecution service, had asked for pretrial detention of Delvinson De La Cruz Sosa, who is presumed innocent.

The case matters because a judge cited an investigation into a planned terrorist attack on 6 November 2026 at the seat of Congress, during Constitution Day events (the 6 November national holiday), when she authorised the arrest. The suspect now stays free under strict conditions while that investigation continues.

What Did the Judge Decide?

The Judicial Office for Permanent Attention Services of the Duarte district, the on-duty court for urgent hearings, imposed the measures on Friday 13 November 2026. Judge Wilton Oniel Peguero accepted the Public Ministry’s request only in part.

Instead of pretrial detention he ordered the RD$1 million guarantee in cash (about US$16,500 at 60.59 pesos per dollar), a check-in with authorities every 15 days and a restriction on leaving San Francisco de Macorís, although reports differ on whether it covers the municipality or the whole country. He also placed the man under his father’s care and supervision for six months.

What Is the Case Against Him?

Prosecutors say De La Cruz Sosa threatened and planned an attack on President Abinader. The arrest warrant, signed by Judge Josefina Noemí Díaz Marte, cites an investigation into a planned “terrorist attack” on 6 November 2026 at the seat of the National Congress.

Officers arrested him in a raid on his home in San Francisco de Macorís and also searched the hardware store where he works. They seized electronic devices and chemical substances that are being analysed, with the cyber-crime unit of the National Intelligence Directorate, the state intelligence agency, taking part.

Which Law Applies?

Prosecutors have not made public which provision of the terrorism law they will use. Penalties vary widely by offence, as our explainer on the law outlines.

Why the Ruling Matters

A cash guarantee lets a suspect stay free by posting money that he would lose if he skipped proceedings, so the ruling keeps him at home but under watch. The Public Ministry argued for the harsher step of pretrial detention, which the judge granted only in part.

What to Watch

No date for the next hearing or for a formal accusation has been published. Prosecutors have said the seized devices and substances are under analysis.

What It Means for You

The ruling changes nothing for residents or visitors, and no security or travel rule follows from it. It decides only where one suspect waits while the investigation continues.

What Is Not Known

Prosecutors have not made public the evidence they say links De La Cruz Sosa to an attack plan. It is also unclear which article of the terrorism law, if any, will be charged.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Delvinson De La Cruz Sosa in jail?

No. On Friday 13 November 2026 a judge refused pretrial detention and ordered a RD$1 million cash guarantee (about US$16,500) with other conditions.

What is he accused of?

Prosecutors accuse him of threatening and planning an attack on President Luis Abinader. He is presumed innocent.

What are the conditions?

He must report to authorities every 15 days and faces travel restrictions. He also stays under his father’s care for six months.

This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error