Dominican Journalist Ángel Martínez Facing Travel Restrictions Despite Closed Case
Martínez, a well-known investigative content creator behind the YouTube channel Detective Ángel, was detained while aboard the MSC World America cruise ship. The arrest occurred despite the fact that the legal matter cited in his detention — Expediente No. 503-2020-EPRI-00545 — was formally closed on November 12, 2024, by the Ninth Criminal Chamber of the Criminal Court of the Distrito Nacional.
The court ruling, referenced under Sentencia No. 047-2024-SSEN-00171, declared the action extinguished, lifting all associated arrest warrants and ordering removal of alerts issued to Dominican migration authorities and INTERPOL. ormal notifications were submitted between January and April 2025 by attorney Lic. Carlos Manuel Mesa, who represents Mr. Martínez.
On May 26, after the ship had departed the port, Dominican authorities reportedly contacted the vessel. Law enforcement personnel, led by Coronel Elian Andrés Rosario José, boarded the ship. Mr. Martínez was removed from the vessel and transferred to Dominican custody. No active warrant was presented to the cruise line at the time.
'We respectfully request the court to lift the impediment of exit that remains in place, given that there are no active criminal charges and the case was legally extinguished,' said Lic. Carlos Mesa. 'All filings are in accordance with procedural law and the original ruling from the Ninth Chamber.'
Though Mr. Martínez was released from custody shortly after, he continues to face a court- imposed impedimento de salida (travel restriction) and must appear periodically in court. His legal team has cited humanitarian and medical concerns in support of the motion to lift the restriction.
Case Information
Case No.: 503-2020-EPRI-00545
Court: Ninth Criminal Chamber, Criminal Court of the Distrito Nacional
Ruling: Sentencia No. 047-2024-SSEN-00171
Defense Counsel: Lic. Carlos Manuel Mesa
About Ángel Martínez
Ángel Ramón de Jesús Martínez Jiménez is a Dominican journalist, Florida-licensed private investigator, and producer of the Detective Ángel YouTube channel, which reports on corruption and public accountability in the Caribbean. His content is created and distributed from Miami, Florida, and serves a wide international audience.
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