Santo Domingo.- Juan Bolívar Díaz, ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Spain, urges the country’s political forces to end hate speech and policies against Haiti. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and cooperation between Dominicans and Haitians. Díaz urges the Dominican population to avoid adopting policies or rhetoric fueled by hatred and confrontation. He believes it is crucial for the Dominican Republic to recognize that it cannot exist in isolation from Haiti and its market. During an interview on the National Awakening program, he stated: “Dominicans and Haitians have to understand each other, use more constructive language, and seek solutions in Haiti because we are not going to do without Haiti.” The ambassador warned against allowing the relationship between the Dominican Republic and Haiti to deteriorate to the level of historical conflicts, such as that between Israel and Palestine. He emphasized the need for efforts to foster understanding and recognize the presence of Haitians and the importance of Haiti as a valuable business opportunity. Díaz highlighted the importance of the Haitian market for the Dominican Republic and its role in the country’s economy. He noted that the Dominican Republic annually exports more than a billion dollars in goods to the Haitian market and highlighted that the relationship is not limited only to the border area but also includes various industries, including eggs, chicken, salami, pasta, cement, and other industrial sectors.
The ambassador highlighted the crucial role of the Haitian workforce in the Dominican economy, particularly in agriculture and construction. He referred to the Haitian workforce as the engine that drives the growth of these sectors and the Dominican economy as a whole. Díaz expressed the importance of recognizing the positive contributions of Haitians to the Dominican Republic and called for efforts to moderate hate speech and stigmatization. He emphasized the need for a more constructive and cooperative approach in relations between the two nations.
