Sociologists, lawmakers, and political analysts are supporting President Leonel Fernandez’s position rejecting the classification of the DR as a “failed state” as defined by US magazine Foreign Policy some 17 days ago. Sociologist Wilfredo Lozano, and lawmakers German Castro Garcia, Ramiro Espino and Pelegrin Castillo have expressed their support for the President’s stance. Pelegrin Castillo stated that a major diplomatic campaign is needed in order to convince the world that an international solution to Haiti’s problems must be sought in Haiti, and not at the expense of the DR. Political analyst Pedro Catrain agrees with Foreign Policy by saying that the DR displays some of the indicators that characterize a failed state: corruption, weak justice system, and a lack of development vision.
In his speech, President Fernandez states: “Haiti’s reality is separate to that of the Dominican Republic. But if by chance, and we do not want to suppose this would be so, we only present it as a remote hypothesis, if the intention is that the Dominican Republic as a failed state is to be occupied, let it be known that we would not in any way accept any possible occupation of the Dominican Republic,” affirmed the President.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations sent the transcript of President Fernandez’s speech to all DR embassies abroad and to all foreign missions accredited in the DR. A note attached to the transcript explains that this represents the DR’s official position regarding the country’s inclusion in the list of failed states published by Foreign Policy.