High Court’s snub reveals Dominican Republic’s addled foreign policy

Santo Domingo.- While the Constitutional Court on Tuesday snubbed the Inter-American Human Rights Commission’s request of a meeting claiming that its ruling stands on its own, the President’s Legal advisor reiterated that the entity was invited to see for themselves that Dominican Republic is the nation which has best treated citizens of Haitian origin.

Cesar Pina Toribio said this Administration has been the friendliest regarding human rights, and in the case of citizens of Haitian origin, “has been more considerate than any other nation."

The high Court’s decision snubbing the Human Rights Commission is in a letter to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, and notes that its ruling is “responsible and fair judgment because it corrects situations that were lacerating human dignity.”

Constitutional Court chief justice Milton Ray Guevara affirmed that another reason to reject the Commission’s visit, is the U.S. based agency statement of October 8, "expresses deep concern with a ruling by Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court," which amends “retroactively” a regulation standing from 1929 to 2010, and “violates the State’s international obligations in the field of human rights."

Top official expects condemnation

Meanwhile, Central Electoral Board (JCE) president Roberto Rosario said Dominicans can expect the Commission’s condemnation, since it came to the country "with a booklet" already prepared and called its visit as a "show."

The statements by the three senior officials reveal a lack of communication between the branches of government, resulting in a hit-and-miss foreign policy.