A high-ranking committee of government officials was in Dajabon on the border with Haiti for conversations on the expansion of the binational market facilities and changes to migratory practices in the border areas. The binational markets allow Haitians to enter on market days. At present, the market is overcrowded by vendors and buyers and there are very few if any migratory controls on those who enter or who leave on market days.
A committee led by Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, director of the Migration Agency (DGM), conducted an inspection of the Dajabón Binational Market and its surrounding area, where plans to expand the market space and implement additional security checkpoints are being evaluated. These measures aim to regulate the massive influx of Haitians into the country.
At the site, Lee Ballester stressed the need for stricter control over migration. He emphasized that it is essential for anyone entering the Dominican Republic to undergo proper migratory control and for their identity to be verified before gaining access to the binational market. This is necessary to ensure security and accuracy in identity verification for individuals crossing the border.
Lee Ballester noted that the Haitian transitional President, Leslie Voltaire, has reported that over seven million Haitians are registered to vote in the upcoming elections, set for November 2025 to install a new government in February 2026. He emphasized that, as part of the new protocol to be enforced, Haitian citizens wishing to enter the Dominican Republic must present official Haitian documentation.
Lee Ballester addressed the issue of children participating in binational activities, stating that it is a topic they will work on moving forward.
Also participating for the government in the meetings, Tony Bengoa, a member of the Chamber of Deputies representing Dajabón, said the government is looking into expanding the market area, currently at 50,000 square meters, by doubling it in areas that belong to the state and areas that can be designated for public use.
The Dajabon provincial governor, Severina Gil Carreras, highlighted that the market is currently congested and emphasized the need for a comprehensive survey to assess the situation and determine how to address the different sectors involved.
The committee was received at the Beller Fortress, home to the Tenth Infantry Battalion of the Dominican Republic’s Army, by several local officials, including Governor Severina Gil Carreras; Customs Collector Ulises Rojas; the head of Immigration in the region, Gerald Encarnación; Deputy Adelso Rubén; Commander of the Fourth Brigade, Guillermo Jiménez Arciniega; and Colonel Franklyn Hernández Fernández, head of the Cesfront interagency base. Other officials present included General José Rodríguez Coste, Director of Cesfront; Ramón Pérez Tejada, Director of Border Development (DGDF); Octavio Landolfy, Director of Internal Commerce; and Erick Torrejo, Director of Border Policies and Economy, among others.
Ramon Ernesto Perez Tejada, general director of Border Development (DGDF) also announced that on Friday, 14 February 2025 works will begin to build a new market in Comendador, the capital of the Elias Piña province to the south of Dajabon on the border with Haiti.
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13 February 2025