The town of Hoyo de Friusa, near Punta Cana – a community with a large Haitian population – was targeted on March 30 by a Dominican nationalist group called Antigua Orden (Old Dominican Order), who led a protest there demanding the expulsion of the Haitian migrants who live and work in the area. The demonstration turned violent as protestors, dressed in black and waving Dominican flags, veered off the planned march route and clashed with police.
After the march, a Haitian worker was killed by four gunshots in the nearby neighborhood of Verón-Punta Cana.
The nationalist group made a post on X before the march demanding:
- Nationwide raids by the Army of the Dominican Republic against “illegal Haitian immigrants” throughout the country
- The installation of military barracks in Friusa
- No regularization process for migrants in the DR
- Patriotic education in schools to reject “population substitution”
- And many other anti-Haitian measures
Dozens of members of Antigua Orden and their supporters, mostly from Santo Domingo, marched through the streets of Friusa on March 30.
The demonstration descended into chaos as protestors tried to enter the residential areas where most Haitians live, raising concerns that their actions could escalate into violence. Police intervened with water cannons and barricades, but the protestors continued, throwing rocks at the police. Authorities ultimately used tear gas to disperse the crowd.
How is it possible that Dominicans are unable to hold a peaceful protest in our own territory?
Meanwhile, the police and military block the streets, preventing the peaceful demonstration from advancing—on land that is fully controlled by illegal migrants. pic.twitter.com/1h5rDGrldk
— Jhon Reynoso (@JhonAraldy) March 30, 2025
Dominican influencer, Santiago Matías, who had just received the YouTuber of the Year award for the fifth year in a row, was a major promoter of the March 30 protest in Hoyo de Friusa. In a viral video, he encouraged supporters to come to the protest armed:
”I’m asking everyone that can that day, that is Dominican” to go and “if you have a gun – bring it.”
Historically, there have been no reports of issues between Dominican and Haitian residents of Hoyo de Friusa, in fact they have coexisted for many years in this community.
El Hoyo de Friusa
Friusa is known as “Pequeño Haiti” because it is home to one of the largest Haitian communities in the Dominican Republic. Many of them are super-exploited construction workers carrying out the ongoing development projects of Punta Cana, 20 km away.
Tourism is a major driver of the Dominican Republic’s economy, and Punta Cana is by far the most popular destination in the DR. Last year, 11 million people visited the Caribbean island, generating over USD 26 billion in revenue.
Despite the cheap labor that Haitian workers have provided to Punta Cana to make this revenue possible, Haitians have been targeted by political leaders and extreme right-wing forces in the DR.
In 2022, Listin Diario reported that the head of the General Directorate of Immigration (DGMI), Enrique García, called the town of El Hoyo de Friusa, “the most dangerous corner of the country…because it is taken by Haitian nationals.”
In October of last year, Luis Abinader announced a new plan to deal with the “excess” of Haitian migrants in the country: the weekly deportation of 10,000 Haitians. The government has set out to achieve this nefarious goal as if it were a national victory.
In his most recent weekly press conference, Dominican President Luis Abinader boasted that the DR is conducting more deportations per week than the US.
“We don’t have to bear that burden,” he said about this approach toward Haitians.
These developments escalate a policy toward Haitian migrants that was already extremely harsh. In 2023 alone, 250,000 immigrants were expelled from the eastern side of the island.
Activists have said that Haitians who have legal permission to stay in the Dominican Republic are also being targeted and persecuted, thus constituting, they say, a xenophobic campaign against all Haitians.
Widespread criticism against Abinader government
The Dominican government is now facing criticism from various sectors of society. After the march, supporters of the far-right Antigua Orden took to social media to condemn President Abinader for the “police repression” of what they insist was a legitimate, peaceful protest.
The situation may be exposing a contradiction in the Abinader government’s practices and rhetoric. His administration has clearly enacted policies that marginalize and expel migrants from the DR, but the police was ultimately forced to crack down on an openly anti-Haitian protest.
Progressive organizations on the other hand, raised criticisms of Abinader before the march even took place.
22 progressive organizations signed a joint letter to Abinader days before March 30, condemning the government’s authorization of the march and demanding its cancellation.
“Despite the fact that this is an illegal march, as several of its organizers are urging people to carry firearms, including influencer Esmerlin Santiago Matías, alias Alofoke, the Ministry of the Interior and Police issued a resolution of no objection to the march…We call on your government to stop encouraging this organization’s illegal activities.”
After the protest, Santiago Matías was arrested by authorities for allegedly inciting the violence that ensued. However, Antigua Orden has called another nationalist march for April 24.
Trump’s anti-immigrant offensive and Dominican Nationalism
Abinader’s comparison to deportation numbers in the US mirrors the xenophobic rhetoric of Trump’s speeches.
The Trump administration’s immigration policies, including mass deportations, the expansion of ICE, and the vilification of migrants as criminals, have set a global precedent and provide a framework for leaders like Abinader to carry out similar programs.
Read more: Dominican Republic in the crosshairs of the US imperialist ambitions in the Caribbean
Trump’s rhetoric about immigrants “invading” the US and being a “burden” has contributed to a political climate where vulnerable populations in other countries are increasingly scapegoated for economic and social instability.
US policies toward Haiti – including past military occupations and the backing of authoritarian leaders – have played a direct role in the displacement of Haitian migrants. More recently, Trump’s restrictions on Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and increased deportations have left Haitian refugees with limited options, pushing many into precarious working and living conditions in places like the Dominican Republic.
Meanwhile, the rhetoric and tactics of Dominican nationalist groups such as Antigua Orden reflect broader trends seen in the global far right-wing movement. Their use of social media influencers, nationalist slogans about “defending the homeland,” and the escalation of anti-immigrant sentiment bear similarities to political strategies observed in the United States.
