The Dominican Republic has experienced one of the longest states of emergency in the world, between March 2020 and October 2021. As a first measure to contain the covid-19 pandemic, the then President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, decreed a curfew throughout the national territory. As of March 20, 2020, from eight in the afternoon to six in the morning, the transit and circulation of people was prohibited, with the exceptions established by decree 135-20 related to health, security, medical emergencies, accredited media and employees of electricity distribution companies to deal exclusively with emergency situations.
On October 11, 2021, the new president, Luis Abinader, decreed the end of the curfew. These portraits and photographs are intended to help explain what life has been like during the 19 months of restrictions for Dominicans. In the image, a woman celebrates her birthday, confined to her house in Santo Domingo.