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Travel Advisory: Trouble along the Haitian / Dominican Border

Added 2023-09-13 08:23:47 +0000 UTC

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — The president of the Dominican Republic announced Monday that he has suspended issuing visas to Haitians, and he threatened to shut down land, air and sea traffic between the two neighbors over their latest dispute.

President Luis Abinader’s move follows the recent excavation of a supposed canal in Haiti that Dominican officials argue will divert water from the Massacre River and harm its farmers and the environment. The river, which runs in both countries, is named for a bloody battle between Spanish and French colonizers in the 1700s.

It is not clear who, if anyone, authorized the digging of the canal in Haiti.

The Dominican Republic will completely close off the border to land, maritime and air commerce if the conflict is not resolved by Thursday Sept 14, Dominican authorities said in a statement earlier on Monday, adding new visas for Haitians would also be suspended.

- Key Points -

**** Anyone traveling to the Dominican Republic should be prepared for longer wait times at Customs/Immigration.

**** The US Embassy has issued travel alerts including a level 4 warning for Haiti - “Do Not Travel”

**** This situation needs to be closely monitored as any escalation could lead to armed conflicts along the border and in population centers such as Santiago and Santo Domingo.

**** Watch for increased National Police presence in Sosua along Pedro Clisante in the evening hours. We can assume that there will be a major uptick in deportation / immigration patrols. Anyone with Haitian girlfriends/wives/families living inside the Dominican Republic should be advised to use extra caution.