Hoy’s main editorial says that recent images in the media of the rebel leaders raise some questions. The press has carried photos of the rebels celebrating their victories “over what is, for better or for worse, an elected government,” with cigars, rum and grins of delight. The political leadership of the insurgent forces, however, has not shown its face or come forward with any program. “What can it offer the Haitian people? Could it be the return of a Duvalierist-style regime?” These are the questions the international community, the inter-American bodies and the “friends of Haiti” should be asking themselves. The writer concludes by saying, “Let us hope that the answers are more auspicious than what those photographs are hinting at.”
Listin Diario’s main editorial says that all Dominicans can do at this time is pray to God that the situation in Haiti improves, as we are in no condition to do anything more for our neighbors to the west.
Writing in El Caribe, Max Puig looks at it from another point of view. The perception that the rebel leaders, described as “thugs” by the US administration, entered Haiti from the Dominican Republic, where they were supposedly under surveillance, is bad for the DR’s image. The Dominican authorities have given repeated assurances that the frontier is impervious and completely under control. Despite all this, it appears from the President’s latest statements that the border is in fact vulnerable and the country is full of conspirators, which prevents the DR from complying with its international commitments. “By tacitly serving the interests of the opposition forces, the DR has done itself a disservice and adversely affected the good relations that should exist between the two nations that share the island of Hispaniola.”