San Juan Farmers Protest: Dominican Police Detain Five Leaders Over Debt
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC · AGRICULTURE
Key Facts
- —What happened Police in San Juan de la Maguana detained five farm leaders on 29 September 2026 during a tractor protest over unpaid state debts (Listín Diario).
- —The claim Growers say the state owes them about RD$550 million (about US$9.2 million at the 29 September 2026 central bank rate), including about RD$125 million for land preparation since 2021 (Listín Diario).
- —Police reason The detained leaders said police told them the arrests were linked to blocking a public road (Listín Diario).
- —Government side On 24 September, San Juan deputy Frank Ramírez said the government was arranging payment of more than RD$400 million (about US$6.7 million) with the Agriculture Ministry and the Comptroller (Listín Diario).
- —What is at stake The bean planting season in the San Juan valley is approaching, and tractor owners say they lack cash to prepare the land (Listín Diario).
The San Juan farmers protest turned tense when police detained five leaders of growers. The growers say the Dominican state owes them about RD$550 million (about US$9.2 million).
Police in San Juan de la Maguana detained five farm leaders at a protest over unpaid state debts on 29 September 2026. Growers and tractor owners say the Dominican government owes them about RD$550 million, or about US$9.2 million.
Tractors on the Main Road
The protest began with tractors and other farm machines parked at several points in San Juan de la Maguana. The farming town lies about 160 kilometres west of the capital, Santo Domingo.
On Tuesday the protesters blocked Calle Sánchez, one of the town’s main roads. The heavy machines used for preparing fields stayed parked there, causing long traffic jams.
Leaders said more than 800 men and women were taking part. The Agriculture Ministry and the National Police had not issued statements on the detentions by the morning of 30 September.
Leaders Say They Were Lured Into Custody
The five leaders said they went to the regional police headquarters expecting talks with the regional police director. They said they were then held there.
‘We are practically kidnapped,’ said José Alberto Báez, known as Paquitín, one of those detained. The others named were Robín Alcántara, Félix David García, lawyer Félix Jiménez and Ramón Ferreras.
According to Báez, the authorities told them the detention was linked to obstructing a public road. The leaders say the real issue is a debt that has built up over several years.
What the Farmers Say They Are Owed
The claim covers land preparation work, farm assistance and state commitments to buy beans and onions. The growers put the total at about RD$550 million (about US$9.2 million). Listín Diario’s report also cites “more than RD$500 million (about US$8.4 million)”.
About RD$125 million (about US$2.1 million) relates to land preparation and farm assistance carried out since 2021. The rest, they say, comes from later purchase agreements for crops.
All dollar conversions use the Central Bank of the Dominican Republic buying rate of RD$59.49 per US$1 on 29 September 2026.
The Government’s Position
The leaders said they met President Luis Abinader, who promised to arrange payment. Later, they said, they were told the payment was stuck at the Comptroller General’s office, which clears public spending.
‘When we go to the Comptroller, they put the blame on President Abinader,’ one leader said by telephone. In the leaders’ account, each office points to the other.
On 24 September Frank Ramírez, a member of Congress for San Juan, spoke for the government side. He said it was arranging payment of more than RD$400 million (about US$6.7 million).
The money would cover mainly bean purchases and onion compensation, he said, in coordination with the Agriculture Ministry and the Comptroller.
No official payment date has been published. Nobody has explained the gap between the deputy’s RD$400 million (about US$6.7 million) and the growers’ RD$550 million.
Why Timing Matters in the San Juan Valley
Beans are one of the main crops of the San Juan valley, and the planting season is close. Tractor owners say that without the money owed they cannot pay to put their machines to work.
Local growers have long described beans as their ‘piggy bank’, Listín Diario reported in 2023. That year the Agriculture Ministry began the autumn-winter bean planting in November, supplying seed and helping with land preparation.
A Wider Pattern of Late Payments
The dispute shows a familiar chain in farm economies. When the state pays contractors late, they cannot buy fuel or service loans, and the next harvest starts under strain.
The government has made room in its budget for farming this year. Its revised 2026 budget, sent to Congress in July, listed the Agriculture Ministry among the institutions receiving extra funds.
What Comes Next
The protesters say their machines will stay in the streets until the government makes what they call a serious commitment to pay. They have declared a permanent vigil and may take further action.
Police had not said by the morning of 30 September whether the five leaders had been released.
For residents and visitors in the southwest, the main practical effect is disruption on roads around San Juan de la Maguana. A payment announcement would be the clearest sign that the standoff is easing.
More: Dominican Republic news, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are farmers protesting in San Juan, Dominican Republic?
Growers and tractor owners say the state owes them about RD$550 million, about US$9.2 million, for land preparation and crop purchase commitments. They blocked roads with tractors to demand payment.
Why were the farm leaders detained?
Five leaders were held at the regional police headquarters on 29 September 2026. They said police linked the detention to blocking a public road, while they called it a ‘kidnapping’.
What has the government said about the debt?
On 24 September, San Juan deputy Frank Ramírez said the government was arranging payment of more than RD$400 million (about US$6.7 million). He named the Agriculture Ministry and the Comptroller as the offices involved, but no payment date has been published.
Sources: Listín Diario · Listín Diario · Ministry of Finance and Economy · Banco Central de la República Dominicana
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