Catholic Church urges President Abinader to address Elías Piña neglect

Bishop Tomás Alejo Concepción of the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana has called on President Luis Abinader to address the institutional neglect and insecurity in the border province of Elías Piña. During a session of the Border Zone Pastoral Council, the religious leader demanded an urgent meeting with local officials to establish a development plan to settle what he described as a ‘historical debt’ to the region.

The Bishop highlighted a stark socioeconomic paradox: Elías Piña facilitates 41.6% of export trade to Haiti, totaling approximately $438 million, yet the province suffers from a 48.4% poverty rate—more than triple the national average of 18.98%. He criticized local authorities and the business sector for failing to invest in the area, noting that profits from border commerce often bypass the local population.

Additionally, the Bishop issued an urgent invitation to the Minister of Defense to discuss border vulnerability and irregular migration. He emphasized that effective border security requires human investment, stating that ‘the best containment wall is not made of concrete’ but of people.