Dominican Govt. rebuffs Italy newspaper’s claim it mistreats Haitians

Santo Domingo.-The Dominican Ambassador to the Vatican, Víctor Grimaldi, on Thurs. rebuffed accusations that Dominican Republic mistreats undocumented Haitians, a complaint published in the Jan. 5 by Holy See newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, and cites the Jesuit Migrant Service in Haiti.

“The Dominican Republic, like any organized State (United States, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil and the Vatican itself) has the right to documentarily regulate the entry and exit of foreign citizens to its territory. We do it in strict compliance to international laws and agreements,” says Grimaldi in a letter to the editor-in-chief of the Vatican newspaper, Gian Maria Vian.

The diplomat said the country offers facilities to the nationals of the neighboring country, ensuring that thousands of Haitians receive free medical care during pregnancies and deliveries in Dominican hospitals, as well as the opportunity for studies and work for thousands of Haitians

“Everyone’s rights are respected, as well as the thousands and thousands of foreigners from other countries such as Venezuela, Colombia, Cuba, Italy, Spain, the United States and other places in the world,” he said in the missive.

“The Dominican people and their government are generous and welcome migrants of all nationalities, as long as they respect our laws,” Grimaldi adds.