Santo Domingo.- A multitude of citizens took to the streets this Sunday, marching from the Heroes Center to the United Nations (UN) headquarters, in protest against the recent request from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The UNHCR had urged the country to accommodate Haitians as refugees due to the deepening social and political crisis in Haiti.
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The participating groups view this as a blatant interference by the UN in the country’s internal affairs and a violation of its sovereignty, given that the Dominican Republic has its Constitution and immigration laws to uphold.
Ángelo Vásquez, leader of the Ancient Dominican Order, a key organizer of the demonstration, expressed discontent, stating that international organizations are attempting to impose the acceptance of Haitians on the country, while other nations fortify their borders. He emphasized, “No one elected the UN to govern us.”
President Luis Abinader, along with opposition political leaders, has firmly rejected UNHCR’s request.