Business groups and unions of the Dominican Republic ask compatriots to leave Haiti due to violence and instability

(CNN Spanish) — Leaders of unions and trade centers in the Dominican Republic called on their compatriots to leave Haiti amid a state of violence and instability affecting the neighboring country.

Gabriel del Río Donne, president of the Autonomous Class Trade Union Confederation of the Dominican Republic, called on Dominican workers living in the neighboring country to return to their country.

Del Rio Donne described the situation as worrying and highlighted the danger, while also urging truck drivers carrying food to the neighboring country to return to the country.

For her part, Laura Peña Izquierdo, president of the Dominican Employers Confederation, assured this Thursday that so far no Dominican company has been affected by the violent protests in Haiti.

However, Peña Izquierdo joined the call for Dominican businessmen and workers to leave that country.

On Wednesday night, Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry tweeted via social networks

For several weeks, supporters of Haiti’s former coup leader Guy Philippe have been staging mass protests demanding Henry’s resignation and calling elections.

Major General Carlos Antonio Fernandez Onofre, general commander of the Dominican Republic’s army, said on Wednesday that security remained tight in the border area with Haiti.

Members of the Dominican army guard the border to prevent violence from affecting the country, Onofre said.

“Many shots, many problems in Haiti,” said Chicho Sevrenth, a resident of the Haitian community of Vanamet, as he passed the binational market in Dazabón this Wednesday.

Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelleste reported on the social network

Protesters destroyed and then set fire to the facilities of several public institutions in Vanamitte, according to the Haitian newspaper, which also reported that the situation remained tense in the city center.

CNN has contacted the National Police in Haiti to verify this information, but has not yet received a response.

Other Haitian citizens consulted by Noticias SIN in Dejabon also expressed their concerns. Haitian businessman Michel Pichello assured that the current environment is very difficult and, in his opinion, the best thing is for Henry to resign.

According to a UN report from January this year, violence continues in Haiti, where gangs control much of the territory.