Santo Domingo, May 5, 2025 (Le Floridien) — The Dominican Republic is on the verge of a rare, perhaps even historic, political moment. President Luis Abinader has formally summoned several of his predecessors — including some of his former electoral rivals — to a high-level meeting aimed at addressing the deepening crisis in neighboring Haiti. The gathering is scheduled for Wednesday, May 14 at 1:00 p.m. at the National Palace.
The move comes as Haiti’s downward spiral — driven by the unchecked rise of armed gangs, the collapse of state authority, and growing instability along the border — has become a source of deep concern for the Dominican government. But beyond the urgent security implications, it is Abinader’s political gesture that is drawing the most attention.
Among the invited are former three-time president Leonel Fernández and Danilo Medina, both influential figures from the once-dominant Dominican Liberation Party (PLD). Fernández, who broke with Medina and the PLD in 2019 to form his own party, La Fuerza del Pueblo (The People’s Force), faced off against Abinader in the 2020 and 2024 presidential elections. Their political rivalry has at times been intense, particularly in a 2024 race where Abinader secured a commanding victory, winning 57.44% of the vote to Fernández’s 28.85%.
Abinader, now serving a second term under the banner of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), appears to be setting aside the divisive tone of past campaigns in favor of consensus-building — a strategy reflecting both political maturity and a recognition of the gravity of the situation across the border.
Each invitation to the former presidents was individually crafted and personalized, a symbolic nod to the contributions of each leader to the country’s recent political history. The initiative follows Abinader’s public remarks during his April 29 press conference La Semanal con la Prensa, in which he called for a “broad, inclusive, and patriotic dialogue” to shape a unified Dominican stance on the Haitian crisis.
By bringing together past presidents — some of whom were once bitter adversaries — Abinader is sending a clear message: the time for political division has passed; the time for national unity has come. The upcoming meeting could represent a watershed moment in how the Dominican political class confronts major regional and security challenges.
Inside the National Palace, many already see this initiative as a bold and delicate act of political balancing — but also as a clear sign of statesmanship. In a country where partisan infighting has frequently stalled governance, the image of former opponents sitting together at the same table suggests just how seriously the Haitian crisis is now being taken.
