UN official refuses to leave Dominican Republic ‘in peace’

Santo Domingo.- Despite being asked by several organizations to “leave the country in peace,” the UN High Commission for Refugees’ (UNHCR) outgoing representative in the Dominican Republic again criticized "the fury" of a small group of nationalists but "with much presence in the media and political sectors" which prompted Congress and the National District City Council to declare him “persona non grata.”

On Wednesday EFE quotes Gonzalo Vargas Llosa saying "I’m obviously concerned and pained but it doesn’t demoralize me."

He said to be “absolutely convinced” that the vast majority of Dominicans don’t agree with those behind the campaign. "Those people do have a rhetoric and positions which are intolerant, discriminatory and in some cases even degrading toward the Haitian people."

The UN official called them small groups but with "too much influence" in Dominican Republic internally and above all, do "enormous damage" to the country’s image abroad.

On Tuesday the organization Children of Duarte staged a picket to demand Vargas’ immediate exit from the country, claiming his animosity for the country with criticism in global arenas.