The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX) and the Embassy of the United States of America in Santo Domingo, commemorated the 140th anniversary of their diplomatic relations with the celebration of a friendly baseball game between the academies of the New York Yankees and the Colorado Rockies, on the field of the Yankee Academy in Boca Chica.
The game, which was headed by Foreign Minister Roberto Álvarez and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America in the country, Patricia Aguilera, featured Dominican and U.S. professional talent from the two MLB academies established in the Dominican Republic.
Other officials from MIREX and the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo were present during the opening ceremony. Also present were baseball greats such as Juan Marichal, member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In this activity, Foreign Minister Álvarez indicated that, throughout these 140 years of bilateral relations, numerous actions and gestures of collaboration have consolidated a strategic alliance between the United States and the Dominican Republic, working as a team for the well-being of its people and making the United States a partner of commendable importance for the country.
Roberto Alvarez added that, “the pillars of our economy are closely linked to the United States. Remittances sent by the Dominican diaspora are a vital source of income for many families and a constant injection into our economy; U.S. tourism is crucial to Dominican industry, and U.S. foreign direct investment has been essential to our economic growth and diversification.”
Speaking about this event, Minister Alvarez highlighted that after the United States, the Dominican Republic is the leading producer of high performance baseball players. “Of the 949 Major League Baseball players who started the 2024 season, 108 are Dominicans, representing about 12% of the total number of players”.
For her part, the Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy, Patricia Aguilera, said, “A very special part of our relationship is the passion we share for baseball. This beloved sport has transcended borders and brought our people closer together. The Dominican Republic has produced some of the most talented players in the history of the game, and their success on the field has been a source of pride for both our nations.”
Speaking of relations between the countries, Ms. Aguilera expressed, “I hope that as we look to the future, we will continue to build on the solid foundation of friendship and cooperation that has been established over the past 140 years. Together, we can overcome any challenges that may arise and work towards a better future for our nations.”
At the event, Juan Marichal, the first Dominican ballplayer to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame, thanked the invitation and reminded the players present that playing baseball should be something they love and enjoy while maintaining determination and a positive mentality, even in the most difficult moments.
On his side, the National Baseball Commissioner of the Dominican Republic, Junior Noboa, highlighted that the government has dedicated great resources to the development of this sport, with more than 100 million pesos in investment and new structures for its development and the best relations with the Major Leagues. He thanked the attendees for their presence, among whom was also Joel Lithgow, director of the Yankees Academy.
This activity was also supported by the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the event’s organizing committee headed by Ambassador José Julio Gómez, Vice Minister of Bilateral Foreign Policy; Ambassador Juan José Portorreal, MIREX Cabinet Director; and Brenda Rodríguez, in charge of Relations with the United States.
Source:mirex.gob.do
