Party Leader Calls for Urgent Government Funding to Speed Up ID Card Processing for Dominicans Abroad

A Fuerza del Pueblo leader in New York is demanding immediate resources so that thousands of Dominicans living overseas can renew their national ID cards on time.

Iván Canals, a leader of the Fuerza del Pueblo party in New York, urged the Dominican Government to "immediately" deliver the resources the Junta Central Electoral (JCE) needs to complete the ID card registration process abroad.

According to Canals, renewing the national identity and electoral card within Dominican communities outside the country faces serious constraints. He warned that this puts the right to identity and to vote of hundreds of thousands of citizens at risk.

Canals argued that the document is much more than a card: it is a Dominican's identity, their right to vote and their access to services. He said the Government should spare no effort to guarantee that right.

The party leader said that, according to reports from the JCE itself and testimonies gathered at consulates in the United States, Europe and other jurisdictions, the process is moving slowly. He cited a lack of equipment, limited staff, restricted hours and the absence of a broad information campaign as the main causes.

The new cédula is essential for voter registration and for voting in the 2028 presidential and congressional elections. Canals warned that any delay or exclusion would undermine the legitimacy of the democratic process. He said the diaspora, which exceeds three million people, could be underrepresented if the procedure is not accelerated.

Among his proposals, Canals asked the Government to transfer extraordinary funds to the JCE and to open more ID registration centers at consulates and vice-consulates. He also suggested extended hours, including weekends, mobile operations at churches and community organizations, and the hiring of additional trained staff. He further proposed an orientation campaign on requirements, locations and deadlines, and effective coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) and the JCE.

Canals called on political forces, community organizations, business leaders and religious leaders in the diaspora to unite behind this demand, setting aside partisan differences.