Tony Raful Tejada
Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Spain
Juan David Latorre
The ambassador of Dominican Republic, Tony Raful Tejada, spoke with The Diplomat and expressed his “great admiration and affection for Spain and its people. It is an honor for me to represent Dominican Republic before the Kingdom of Spain.”
– What are bilateral relations between the Dominican Republic and Spain like at this time?
Bilateral relations between the Dominican Republic and Spain in 2025 are solid, historic, and mutually supportive. This year we had conmemorated 170th anniversary of diplomatic ties that began in 1855. Both countries share democratic values and collaborate closely in multilateral organizations such as the UN and the Ibero-American Summits.
In economic and cultural terms, Spain is a strategic partner, and various initiatives have been promoted, such as the Dominican participation in FITUR, the Madrid Book Fair, and the “Todo Cine Todo Dominicana” film festival. In short, both countries maintain a robust and constantly strengthening bilateral relationship.
Regarding visits by Spanish authorities to our country, we highlight that, to date, His Majesty, King Felipe VI, traveled in May of this year to the Dominican Republic to participate in the World Law Congress 2025 and in the inauguration of the Uniromana University.
Likewise, the highest authorities of the Dominican Republic have visited Spain on several occasions; for example, on 21 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Dominican Republic paid a courtesy visit to his Spanish counterpart, José Manuel Albares, with whom he reviewed the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as relations with the European Union and the main regional issues in Latin America.
Similarly, the highest-ranking Dominican authorities have traveled to Spain on several occasions. For example, the President of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, visited Spain as part of his participation in the Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government in Andorra in 2021, and was received by His Majesty the King and the President of the Government.
Likewise, Vice President Raquel Peña attended the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Week activities, where we were the guest of honor. Among the annual visits to the Iberian country by our ministers and various Dominican authorities, the visit takes place each year.
– What can you share with us about the trade growth between the two countries?
Trade growth has been significant in recent years, with multiple cooperation agreements and projects. Spain is positioned as the second-largest investor in the Dominican Republic, after the United States, with a significant presence in sectors such as tourism, energy, free trade zones, and trade/industry.
In the annual period 2020-2024, trade between the two nations has been of 5,057.8 million dollars, 90.7% being related to imports of goods and the remaining 9.3% to exports. In 2024, imports from Spain were 1,236.1 M USD and our exports were 129.9 M USD.
The Embassy has strengthened commercial collaboration with Spanish entities through agreements such as the one signed with Tiendas Punto Ahorro, which offers discounts to Dominican consumers, and another with the Madrid Foundation for Competitiveness to promote investment and foreign trade. A memorandum was also signed with DEFOIN, which will benefit the Dominican community in Spain with preferential access to job training programs.
Trade missions have also been promoted, such as the one held in April 2024 with Galician businessmen, to promote new investments and trade relations. Together, these initiatives reflect a firm commitment to continue strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
– What are your goals for your term as Ambassador of the Dominican Republic?
The historical, cultural, human, political, economic, and linguistic ties that unite our nations reinforce the bilateral relationship. Some initiatives that have been promoted by the Embassy and that we want to continue promoting are the following:
-Dominican Menina in Madrid. We joined the Las Meninas Madrid Gallery project, exhibiting the Dominican Menina in Madrid for the first time since November 2021.
-International Tourism Fair (FITUR). The Dominican Republic was the partner country of FITUR in its 42nd edition, held in 2022, and just this January, at the 45th edition of FITUR, we won the award for Best Pavilion.
-Madrid Book Fair (FLM). We participated with various activities in the most important national gathering of authors and reading enthusiasts. The Dominican Republic was the guest of honor at the 2019 celebration, among others.
Likewise, annual celebrations are held with the Dominican diaspora, such as:
-Padre Billini Awards. Established by this Embassy in 2015, and first presented in 2016, the awards are given in two categories: Excellence and Solidarity.
– Todo Cine Todo Dominicana Showcase. This is the most important Dominican film showcase in Madrid.
– Academic Merit Award. Through this award, the Embassy recognizes the dedication and academic excellence of 10 children and young people of Dominican origin residing in Spain, aged between 12 and 18, who receive a one-week cultural trip to the Dominican Republic as a prize.
As the Dominican Republic’s ambassador to Spain, I reiterate my commitment to continue working closely with the Spanish authorities to further strengthen our excellent bilateral relations in their multiple dimensions, including the economic one, as well as our deep historical and cultural ties, for the well-being and prosperity of our two countries and the members of our community in Spain.
Upon your arrival, how did you see and feel about the Dominican community residing in Spain?
I have had contact with part of our community, with whom we have planned various activities to consolidate the development of projects they have initiated with the tutelage and support of the Dominican Embassy. In that sense, we plan to visit the various Dominican communities residing in Spain who have economic and social ties to us in some way.
The Dominican community is a very hardworking community. In general, it has been characterized by its observance and compliance with the laws that guarantee its permanence within Spanish territory. It is a very open community with a deep sense of respect and admiration. Furthermore, according to statistics I have, crime rates are minimal compared to other statistics from other places.
There have been joint actions with the Spanish Security Forces and much support for youth and the Dominican population in Spain. The Embassy has been very concerned about these processes, including the one related to youth gangs. Both the previous ambassador and the authorities intervened directly in this matter together, and mechanisms were created to overcome or counteract the potentially alarming level of involvement. Dominican presence in youth gangs has been significantly limited thanks to cooperation with the Spanish authorities.
You have extensive experience in the cultural and diplomatic sectors.
In the diplomatic field, I was ambassador to Italy. During that four-year period, a policy of active collaboration was developed between Italy and the Dominican Republic. There is a very significant Dominican presence there, although not as significant as the presence in Spain. There was a great deal of cooperation at the educational level, at the level of academic institutions, an effective scholarship plan, and at the technological and technical level, especially for a reason that unites us, which is the issue of the seismic problem. In the medical field, we managed to strengthen the relationship with programs and scholarships for Dominican medical students.
On the economic front, we strengthened the economic sectors related to trade between Italy and the Dominican Republic. In terms of tourism, we grew tourism with many Italian companies currently based in the Dominican Republic and collaborating with that process. Italian tourism is strong in the Dominican Republic, and we reached an agreement through my country’s tourism organization.
Likewise, on the cultural front, we even achieved a long-standing Dominican aspiration: the recovery of a treasure, the only cotton cemí in existence, which was discovered in the Dominican Republic and brought to Italy. It has remained in an Italian museum ever since, and we made arrangements with the Italian government to reach an agreement that allows us to exhibit this archaeological piece, worth millions of dollars in our country, as part of the archaeological heritage of what the island was then.
I was also president of the Community of Latin American Countries, based in Guatemala, as a representative of the Dominican Republic. In Dominican politics, I was Minister of Culture, and during that period, we implemented a structure that is still used today. I chaired the International Relations Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and was also vice president of the Chamber. I directed the cultural activities of the main Dominican radio and television station, and I also had the honor of directing the National Library of Santo Domingo.
– You are a member of the Royal Academies of Language of Spain and the Dominican Republic. Could you tell us your favorite book and writer?
For me, generally speaking, the most important book is the Bible. It is the most complete and diverse book at the same time. It’s the revelation of the entire historical and cultural process of humanity. As for the writer, I believe Miguel de Cervantes is immortal. I always return to Cervantes.
– Finally, what do you like most about Spain?
The warmth of its people is what I like most and what I perceived from my first visit to this country.
