Dominican president suspends visas for Haitians and threatens to close border with its neighbor
Source: Associated Press
Dominican president suspends visas for Haitians and threatens to close border with its neighbor
BY MARTÍN ADAMES ALCÁNTARA
Updated 3:33 PM EDT, September 11, 2023
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The president of the Dominican Republic announced Monday that he has suspended issuing visas to Haitians, and he threatened to shut down land, air and sea traffic between the two neighbors over their latest dispute.
President Luis Abinader’s move follows the recent excavation of a supposed canal in Haiti that Dominican officials argue will divert water from the Massacre River and harm its farmers and the environment. The river, which runs in both countries, is named for a bloody battle between Spanish and French colonizers in the 1700s.
It is not clear who, if anyone, authorized the digging of the canal in Haiti.
“If the conflict is not resolved before Thursday, (officials will) completely close the border to air, sea and land commerce,” the Dominican government said in a statement.
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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/dominican-republic-haiti-border-visas-canal-river-ad81b04bbd49d4425f5ff2b69a5ac8a8
