Dominican Republic rules out closing Haiti border despite violence; trade to continue normally

The Dominican Republic's Defense Minister, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, led a strategic follow-up and evaluation meeting on Thursday with the commanding generals of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, where they analyzed developments in Haiti and their possible implications for national security.

The meeting, held in Santo Domingo, was also attended by officials from the Joint Chiefs of Staff's main intelligence and operations agencies, the directors of the Specialized Land Border Security Corps (CESFRONT), and the Defense Ministry's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cybersecurity, and Intelligence Center (C5i).

During the meeting, it was established that current conditions along the Dominican border do not justify extraordinary measures, so no border closure is being contemplated: commercial, social, and daily activities will continue normally, despite the worsening violence and insecurity in Haiti.

The Defense Ministry stated that the situation in Dominican territory remains under the supervision of the competent authorities and that commercial operations and social mobility will continue normally, while security agencies maintain permanent surveillance of events in the neighboring country.

Fernández Onofre reiterated the importance of maintaining effective coordination between the Armed Forces and state agencies, with decisions based on updated information and objective assessments. The ministry reaffirmed its commitment to preserving national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and calm in border communities, with permanent monitoring to respond to any development that could compromise the country's security.

Photo: Ministerio de Defensa

Source: Prensa Mercosur