The Specialized Body for Land Border Security (Cesfront) detained more than 750 undocumented Haitians who had been trying to enter Dominican territory illegally through the northern border line in recent hours.
The detention operations are the result of border fortifications ordered by Defense Minister Lieutenant General Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa, according to Brigadier General José Manuel Durán Infante, director of Cesfront, reported yesterday.
The surveillance operations used drones with thermal cameras, buggies, motorcycles and other technological equipment, resulting in the arrest of 754 Haitian nationals, including men, women and children, who were detained day and night as they attempted to enter the northern country . border.
Brigadier General Durán Infante, who personally leads the operations, assured that there are more than 3,000 detainees so far in January and February and stated that they will continue to work hard to maintain security at the border with Haiti.
The detainees were handed over to the Directorate-General for Migration and the National Council for Children (Conani) for the corresponding purposes.
Due to the political and social crisis in Haiti, which is sparking protests and violent demonstrations, hundreds of Haitians try to enter Dominican territory every day, fleeing the instability in the neighboring country.
In this context, President Luis Abinader ordered the strengthening of the border area with the dispatch of more troops to increase the level of surveillance and avoid tensions that could affect the country.
The Cesfront and the military of the Dominican Republic have intensified detentions and have returned hundreds of undocumented Haitians to their country, in conjunction with the Directorate-General for Migration.
Government position
On October 30, 2020, President Abinader confirmed that the situation in Haiti is one of the biggest problems for the Dominican government.
During an interview in English with foreign journalists, the president explained on that occasion that the lack of stability in the neighboring country and its poverty, crisis and the people on the streets are difficult to control. He said the Haitian government, unfortunately, does not have the powers to control the situation.
He indicated that protecting the border is very expensive for the Dominican Republic, where there are about 7,000 soldiers and about 800 members of the Cesfront, it is very expensive. He added that more technological ways are being sought to protect the border.
The president said he could become a spokesperson in other countries in America, France (which has historic ties to Haiti), Canada and other countries to jointly implement a development plan to lead the neighboring country towards prosperity and democracy.
PANORAMA
American criticism.
It was reported in an Efe office in Port-au-Prince that the United States had raised the tone of its criticism of the Haiti government and its “condemnation” of President Jovenel Moise’s “authoritarian” and “undemocratic” actions. .
Ataca in Moise.
The U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince reported on Wednesday a series of tweets from Julie Chung, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. State Department’s Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs, in which Washington is condemning Moise for the first time, in the midst of the serious institutional crisis that started with the judges and with the opposition.