Dominican Republic won’t bow to pressure from abroad: Immigration chief

Santo Domingo.- Immigration Agency director José Ricardo Taveras on Wednesday said Dominican Republic’s principle of sovereignty cannot and will not bow to pressure from abroad.

The official’s statement comes just hours after the Caribbean Community (Caricom) announced it wontt participate as observer in the talks between the Dominican Republic-Haiti Bilateral Commission, until “president Danilo Medina submits a naturalization bill to Congress.”

Taveras affirmed that Dominicans shouldn’t be surprised by the "disrespectful, unacceptable and incontinent" language from Caricom chair, St. Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves. "No one who disrespects and pressures us irresponsibly should observe our encounters anywhere."

He said the country, with or without Constitutional Court ruling 168-13, will not enter the regional block for now, "since the interests of the Islands, in an action of self-defense and as part of a protectionist policy, understand that the Dominican economy poses a serious threat to their economies."