Dominican Republic to close all borders with Haiti in a dispute over a canal

By MARTÍN ADAMES ALCÁNTARA and DÁNICA COTO
Associated Press

DAJABON, Dominican Republic (AP) — The Dominican Republic’s president has announced he will close all borders with neighboring Haiti starting Friday in a dispute over a canal on the Haitian side that would divert water from a border river. His announcement signals that last-minute talks between the countries have failed to head off the closure. President Luis Abinader says air, sea and land borders will remain shuttered “until necessary.” It is a rare move for the Dominican Republic, and could hit economies in both countries, though it will be most acutely felt in Haiti. The closure is a response to the excavation of a canal by a farming group on the Haitian side that targets waters from the Massacre River.