Dominican Republic closes border amid escalating tensions with Haiti

Dominican Republic’s President Luis Abinader has declared the closure of the nation’s border with its adjacent neighbor, Haiti.

This shutdown was slated to commence at 6 a.m. local time on Friday, September 15, intensifying the existing strains between the two countries.

Diplomatic dialogues surface

Two days prior to this closure, the Haitian government shed light on its ongoing discussions with Dominican representatives.

The dialogue was sparked by a concerning threat posed by President Abinader.

Though the statement from Haiti’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was succinct, it underscored the joint commitment of both countries to identify a “fair and definitive” solution over the contention surrounding the Massacre River.

This river delineates the natural border between them on the island of Hispaniola. Echoing the sentiment, the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the talks did indeed transpire, with the shared hope of arriving at a conclusive resolution.

Visa vexation adds to the strains

Matters took a further downturn earlier this week.

President Abinader revealed a halt in visa issuance to Haitians, intensifying the existing rifts between the nations.

Accompanying this announcement was a clear caution - a potential complete stoppage in land, air, and sea communications if the canal concerns were not settled by the week’s end.

Controversial canal conundrum

At the heart of the contention lies a canal project situated on Haitian territory. The initiative has sparked debates and inquiries concerning the legitimacy of its excavation approvals.