NewsWhore
11-06-2008, 04:31 PM
Economist and historian Bernardo Vega says that the Dominican Republic could be subject to political pressure from the United States, once Barack Obama takes office, on the issue of the presence of Haitians in the DR. In this sense Vega pointed out that Obama has advisors who feel that the Dominican Republic has to do something about the undocumented Haitian issue. He said, "Political pressure is going to be applied from that direction."
Vega appeared on the El Dia program on Telesistema, where he also analyzed what bilateral relations between the DR and the US might be like under the Obama government. He indicated that based on what was said during the campaign, John McCain's position was more convenient for the Dominican Republic on the issues of trade, immigration and drugs. Vega said that McCain, in his campaign, favored new legislation on immigration that would have permitted Dominican relatives living in this country to join their families living in the United States. In contrast, Obama, who is influenced by the unions, was less in favor of immigration. On the question of free trade agreements (FTA), Vega reminded viewers that Obama had refused to vote in favor of an agreement of this type with Colombia and he has announced that he would review the NAFTA agreement between the United States Canada and Mexico, but Obama "has said nothing about the DR-CAFTA agreement.
Clave newspaper reports today that a poll by The Economist showed that Dominicans in the DR were the most enthusiastic supporters of the Obama candidacy. Nevertheless, editor Fausto Rosario makes the point that Obama has said he would revise US free trade agreements and has very good relations with the Black Caucus that supports the Haitian lobby in Washington on controversial migration issues.
Interviewed for a morning TV talk show, Rosario Espinal, professor of political sociology at Temple University, told journalist Huchi Lora that if pressure comes for resolving the status of Haitians in the DR this should be welcomed. She criticized the traditional laissez-faire attitude of Dominican governments to years of unchecked migration. She observed that if the US government becomes more open to its own illegal migration, there could be increased pressure on the DR to assimilate the illegal Haitians.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)
Vega appeared on the El Dia program on Telesistema, where he also analyzed what bilateral relations between the DR and the US might be like under the Obama government. He indicated that based on what was said during the campaign, John McCain's position was more convenient for the Dominican Republic on the issues of trade, immigration and drugs. Vega said that McCain, in his campaign, favored new legislation on immigration that would have permitted Dominican relatives living in this country to join their families living in the United States. In contrast, Obama, who is influenced by the unions, was less in favor of immigration. On the question of free trade agreements (FTA), Vega reminded viewers that Obama had refused to vote in favor of an agreement of this type with Colombia and he has announced that he would review the NAFTA agreement between the United States Canada and Mexico, but Obama "has said nothing about the DR-CAFTA agreement.
Clave newspaper reports today that a poll by The Economist showed that Dominicans in the DR were the most enthusiastic supporters of the Obama candidacy. Nevertheless, editor Fausto Rosario makes the point that Obama has said he would revise US free trade agreements and has very good relations with the Black Caucus that supports the Haitian lobby in Washington on controversial migration issues.
Interviewed for a morning TV talk show, Rosario Espinal, professor of political sociology at Temple University, told journalist Huchi Lora that if pressure comes for resolving the status of Haitians in the DR this should be welcomed. She criticized the traditional laissez-faire attitude of Dominican governments to years of unchecked migration. She observed that if the US government becomes more open to its own illegal migration, there could be increased pressure on the DR to assimilate the illegal Haitians.
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#6)