Santo Domingo.- Luis de León, professor and member of the Duartian Institute, warned of a potential mass migration of Haitian citizens to the Dominican Republic, which he believes could result from the presence of United States warships in Caribbean waters near Haiti, further worsening the neighboring country’s political and social crisis.
De León described the deployment of military vessels as a “national patriotic alert,” arguing that it creates a climate of confrontation and instability that threatens not only Haiti, but also the economic, democratic, and social stability of the Dominican Republic and the wider Caribbean region.
The academic cautioned that with the term of Haiti’s Presidential Council set to expire this Saturday, the country could face renewed outbreaks of violence, potentially prompting large numbers of Haitians to cross the Dominican border in search of refuge. He questioned whether Dominican authorities are adequately informing and preparing the population for such a scenario.
Social impact and call for unity
According to de León, poverty, hunger, and institutional collapse in Haiti make the Dominican Republic the primary destination for those fleeing unrest. He stressed that migration pressures would likely intensify along the land border rather than through maritime routes.
He called on government authorities, political parties, and social sectors to take a firm and unified stance, emphasizing that the defense of national sovereignty should not rest solely with the Armed Forces, but also requires the conscious and moral support of the Dominican population.
De León also urged caution in relations with the United States, citing the ideas of Professor Juan Bosch and expressing concern over what he views as an international policy increasingly marked by conflict and foreign intervention. He concluded by reaffirming that while Dominicans are a people of peace, that peace must be defended through national unity, decisive state action, and a clear strategy in response to Haiti’s deepening crisis and its potential impact on the Dominican border.
