International

President Abinader: border with Haiti will remain closed

Photo: EFE

September 18 |

The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, announced Sunday that the border with Haiti will remain closed, while stating that the situation on the dividing line is under control and that there is no threat to the development of the daily activities of Dominicans.

In a message to the nation, the president affirmed that “peace and security (…) are guaranteed”. He noted that this Monday he will travel to New York City for debates at the United Nations General Assembly, an occasion he will use to continue to raise awareness among the international community to assist the neighboring nation.

He explained that in August 2018, Haitian citizens began to unilaterally, unconsultedly and illegally build an irrigation canal supplied by waters from the Masacre (or Dajabón) River, with the purpose of irrigating large plantations and selling water to small producers.

He said that the Dominican Chancellery demanded in May 2021 to paralyze the work, which occurred after the assassination of former president Jovenel Moïse (July of that year), but that its construction was restarted weeks ago, “promoted by the same agents provocateurs as always”, he said.

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He warned that such a work could lead to “an escalation of constructions that would destroy the river”, for which reason his government took measures to guarantee security, care for the environment, agricultural production and respect for the interests and rights of the population.

He detailed that several measures have been taken to force the stoppage of the work, such as the suspension of the delivery of visas, the prohibition of entry to the country of the promoters of the project, the closing of the borders and the increase of the military presence in the dividing line, among others.

He stated that in view of this serious situation, “we have understood the need to give a forceful response in legitimate defense against the uncontrollable groups that do not obey the Haitian constitutional order nor recognize the bilateral agreements that govern the border relations between both nations”, for which reason the measures adopted by his country will be maintained as long as necessary.

If there are uncontrollables in Haiti, they will not be uncontrollable for the interests of the Dominican government, he said, although he made it clear that his country does not want a confrontation and that both seek to live in peace.

He said that the Haitian people are suffering the consequences of the instability and insecurity generated by what he called insurgent groups. He added that these groups control a large part of the country, do not recognize his government and are causing a serious institutional crisis, which is resulting in an unsustainable political and economic situation.

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He stressed that “Haiti’s problem is no longer in Haiti, it is in the hands of the international community”, and that “there is no Dominican solution to the Haitian problem”.

Related Topics:Haïti President Abinader

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Mexico and Guatemala Agree on Five-Point Binational Plan for 2027

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The agreement was announced by the foreign ministers of both countries following a meeting in Mexico City.

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco said the plan will establish the “direction and priorities” of bilateral relations for next year. His Guatemalan counterpart, Carlos Ramiro Martínez, said the meeting allowed both governments to make decisions, schedule activities and revitalize bilateral cooperation mechanisms.

Security and border infrastructure

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The countries expect to sign the agreement in the coming months to strengthen coordination and their ability to respond to shared security threats.

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Regarding their nearly 1,000-kilometer shared border, Mexico and Guatemala agreed to advance infrastructure improvements at border crossings and continue work on a joint cargo clearance program between Ciudad Hidalgo and Tecún Umán, two border areas separated by the Suchiate River.

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The two governments will also continue defining a route toward a railway connection between their countries through Line K of Mexico’s Interoceanic Corridor of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (CIIT), with the aim of strengthening economic and community ties.

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Both countries will also advance initiatives under Juntos para el Bienestar, as well as six technical, scientific and energy cooperation projects approved by the Joint Commission.

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“Two French diplomats were scandalously and deliberately assaulted on July 19. I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. It has now happened. Two Iranian diplomats in France will be expelled in the coming days,” Barrot said in a message posted on X.

The two Iranian diplomats have been declared persona non grata and will be required to leave France within the coming days, according to the French foreign minister.

About a month ago, Barrot said that two members of the French diplomatic staff had been detained by Iranian security forces for several hours. One of them was also subjected to harassment, he said.

The French government described the incident as an “extremely serious act of intimidation” that violated diplomatic immunity.

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The two French embassy staff members were working on programs supporting Iranian civil society, particularly initiatives involving artists and researchers.

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Heat wave puts more than 70 million Americans under alerts as temperatures near 46°C

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The NWS warned that the heat wave will continue affecting the southern and southeastern United States, with maximum temperatures expected to remain near 38°C to 40°C for several days. The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity to estimate how hot conditions feel, could reach 46°C.

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July was the hottest month ever recorded in the United States since measurements began, with the average temperature across the contiguous country approaching 25°C, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The combination of extreme heat and drought conditions has also fueled wildfires. Nearly 3 million hectares have burned across the country so far in 2026, making it the largest area affected by wildfires in a decade.