In the wake of tragic events in recent days where Haitians have been alleged perpetrators of violent acts, hundreds of people from the community of Estero Hondo in the northern province of Puerto Plata have united to march against the illegal trafficking and migration of Haitians, Listin Diario reports.
Dressed in black as a sign of mourning and carrying the Dominican flag, participants chanted “No more, not one more death.”
Residents decided to raise their voices after several families in the community have family members that have been victims to violent acts. The most recent case involved Bienvenido Acosta, 90, who lost his life after being assaulted at his residence with a fleeing Haitian national, the lead suspect.
Victims’ families joined the march, including Josefina Acosta, daughter of a victim. In statements to the media, she described her experience with her father as ‘a nightmare.’
“We are deeply distressed,” she said. “This incident could have been much worse, as my husband and I had planned to sleep at my parents’ that night, but I decided to stay elsewhere by chance.”
“We demand that justice be done, in accordance with the law and truth,” she said. “We call for a scientific investigation to determine the motive behind my father’s death.”
Australia Acosta, another march participant, agreed that this tragedy marks a significant change in Estero Hondo’s history. “This march is a wake-up call for authorities to stop this situation,” she stated, adding that her uncle’s tragedy resembles another case in Rancho Manuel, where three people lost their lives, and authorities have yet to provide answers.
The protest marched through several streets of the municipal district of Estero Hondo, culminating in front of the inter-agency post of the Dominican Navy.
National Police and Dominican Army members guarded the march to prevent potential confrontations between Dominicans and Haitians still in the area.
Communicator Mirian Cruz, niece of the late Bienvenido Acosta, recalled other violent incidents in her hometown. “Now it was my uncle’s turn, who was almost like a father to me,” Cruz said, noting that this is the third similar case in the past two years in the community.
Cruz also mentioned other local incidents, including the 2022 murder of landowner Juan José Soto Corniel, uncle of former Minister José Miguel Soto Jiménez, and the 2023 double homicide of Dr. Generoso Pérez and his wife, both allegedly linked to Haitians.
The Estero Hondo community continues to demand responses and concrete actions from authorities to ensure the safety of its residents.
Estero Hondo is a municipal district in the northern province of Puerto Plata, located 253 kilometers from the Dominican capital.
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Listin Diario
12 May 2025