Dominican president ‘asks’ Defense chief to instruct troops

Santo Domingo.- President Luis Abinader on Tuesday asked Defense Minister Carlos Luciano Díaz Morfa to instruct the border military not to be intimidated in the operations to confront smuggling in that area.

He asks Díaz Morfa to instruct the military to disobey the calls by civil authorities, legislators and politicians from the border provinces that may hinder their work.

“In the exercise of my powers as Supreme Authority of the Armed Forces, I instruct you so that in your capacity as Highest Authority of the Defense System and Administrator of the armed forces, instruct them to continue with operations to counter the smuggling of goods throughout the border area and that these soldiers do not obey the calls made by civil authorities, legislators and politicians of the province that could hinder their work as intelligence agencies, limiting themselves exclusively to the fulfillment of their legal and constitutional duties through orders from their superiors,” the letter says.