Former Dominican ambassador to the United States, economist and historian Bernardo Vega sees a deterioration of the crisis in Haiti with no solution in sight. He writes in Acento that it appears that President Trump, who has expressed reluctance to address the Haitian problem, will only change his mind if thousands of Haitians take to the sea to reach Florida, as happened in 1994 when thousands were even sent to Guantanamo Bay.
Vega mentions that last week, gangs took control of the Malpasse customs post, just west of the Jimani customs post, in the past the main entryway for Haitians and Dominicans, given the proximity to Port-au-Prince, the capital. Today, the area is controlled by the gangs or “terrorists” who charge tolls to allow the mobility of goods.
In recent years, most Dominican exporters have been delivering their goods on this side of the border in Jimani, leaving it up to the Haitian buyer to transport the goods to Haiti and deal with the tolls. Alternatively, cargo is shipped by sea from Haina to Port-au-Prince. The takeover of the Malpasse customs post means the Haitian government no longer receives its customs revenue, which is now presumably collected by the terrorists.
Vega explains that the alternative route, which has gained importance due to these issues, is through Elías Piña-Belladere-the Peligre Dam-Mirebalais to Port-au-Prince. But “tolls” must also be paid here. Recently, Mirebalais was taken over by terrorists, and its residents, in desperation, shut down power generation at the nearby Peligre Dam to draw attention to their problems.
He says that the only route that remains fully open is Dajabón-Juana Méndez-Fort Liberté-Cap-Haïtien, allowing trouble-free operation of the Codevi free trade zone and the South Korean manufacturing zone in La Limonade.
Vega also mentions in his review on the Haiti crisis and its impact on the DR that the most recent accusations against the Dominican Republic that claim the country supplies weapons to terrorists are exaggerated. “We only know of cases where munitions were stolen by Dominican police and sold in Haiti, and cargo trucks in transit bound for Haiti were not inspected because they were considered transit goods, he writes, adding that the Haitian government recently banned this route. He explains that today most weapons reaching Haiti come from contraband sent from Miami. Recently, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has promised to address this violation.
Likewise, the international press has reported cases of employees from the Migration Agency harassing Haitian women and/or demanding money to prevent deportation. He writes that while the frequency of such abominations is unknown, it would be advisable for all Migration employees to wear name tags for easier identification by the victims.
He criticizes the lack of action on behalf of the United Nations due to a lack of resources and fear of a veto in its Security Council by China and/or Russia. US Secretary of State Rubio has urged the OAS to revive the Inter-American Peace Force, but this institution also lacks the necessary resources, and no country on the continent seems willing to contribute troops for this purpose.
Vega writes about the mercenary solution. A third option is hiring mercenaries, as the United States did in Afghanistan and Iraq with Blackwater. He explains that notably, Erick Prince, founder of Blackwater and well-connected to President Trump, was hired by the Haitian government in March to combat terrorists using drones and plans to bring about 150 former Haitian army and police members from the United States. It is uncertain if there are sufficient funds for this contract. Ecuador’s new government under Daniel Noboa also seems to be hiring Prince due to the high crime rate there.
Meanwhile, President Trump has announced he will end the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, leading to the deportation of thousands. It remains to be seen if he will do the same for Haitians under the same program. If so, many deported Haitians might attempt to cross into the Dominican Republic upon their return.
Vega also expresses two other concerns. First, the Trump administration recently asked the US Supreme Court to rule that it is legal to deport a foreigner to a country other than their country of origin or citizenship, citing the case of South Sudan. If approved, this could mean the United States could legally deport Haitians to the Dominican Republic. Second, taxing remittances sent by undocumented workers would require them to ask legalized Dominicans to send their money as a favor, potentially creating problems for the latter with their income tax. It could also stimulate the resurgence of illegal currency exchange and cash remittance houses.
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Acento
5 June 2025