Dajabón.– The President of the Republic of Honduras, Nasry Asfura Zablah, described the Dominican Republic this Saturday as an example in Central America and the Caribbean for the progress achieved in border security and military industry under the administration of President Luis Abinader, and highlighted the actions implemented to protect the territory and guarantee national sovereignty.
During a tour with President Abinader along the border area, where he learned about the operation of the intelligent perimeter fence and the technological and military capabilities developed by the country, Asfura affirmed that the protection of borders constitutes a fundamental responsibility of States.
“Sovereignty is priceless and sovereignty begins with taking care of our borders. That is what we must all do as a country and as presidents, because of the responsibility we have. I am sure that with these examples that I am seeing here today, that sovereignty is guaranteed”.
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The Honduran leader maintained that development and the future of nations must be based on fundamental values. “The development and the future that we can give our people starts with that: principles, homeland, and loyalty. Those principles are what structure a country and we are sure that we fight for that every day, to be able to ensure that our people are well”.
Asfura also expressed his impression regarding the capabilities achieved by the Dominican Republic in military industry matters and considered that they represent an opportunity for the strengthening of other countries in the region.
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“I am truly very impressed by the Dominican military industry. I believe it is a great example at the Central American and Caribbean level, which is going to provide us, President Abinader, with strength for all countries, because we will have an opportunity to be able to strengthen ourselves in the shortest possible time and with better price conditions”.
Likewise, he expressed his satisfaction with the strengthening of relations between the Dominican Republic and Honduras and proposed continuing to expand trade exchanges and investments between both nations.
Asfura also thanked President Abinader for his work and dedication and especially highlighted the closeness he observed between the Dominican leader and the citizens during the tour. “Thank you, President Abinader. I am sure that every Dominican appreciates all that effort, that work, and that dedication. And what I saw when we left the battalion, when you attended to the people, President Abinader, I had no idea how I felt; my heart was very joyful, because being close to the people is what we must never forget. May God always bless you in your principles and in your feelings so that the Dominican Republic can move forward”.
Abinader expresses willingness to put DR’s capabilities at the service of friendly nations
For his part, President Abinader explained that the visit to the border area had the purpose of sharing with the Honduran leader the experience developed by the Dominican Republic in the face of challenges that other nations also face regarding the protection of their borders.
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Regarding the development achieved by the Dominican military industry, President Abinader expressed the country’s willingness to place its capabilities and technology at the service of friendly nations, including Honduras, as a mechanism of cooperation to strengthen security.
“This military industry that we have seen is a military industry that we place at the service of our friends. We would like it to be just like in Europe, for it to also be a military industry for friends and for us to be able to participate together to have the technology we need for the security, both external and internal, of our countries. We place it at the service of our friends, such as Honduras.”
The head of State also advocated for continuing to strengthen economic, commercial, and investment ties between the Dominican Republic and Honduras. “There are investors from Honduras investing in the Dominican Republic. There are some from the Dominican Republic who have also invested in Honduras, and what we want is for those ties between us to become increasingly stronger, to be of greater benefit to both countries, for it to be a win-win, both for Honduras and for the Dominican Republic.”
“We are sure that this visit and later my visit there to Honduras will allow us to continue with better relations, more productive relations, and that all these relations will be a win-win, both for Honduras and for the Dominican Republic. Welcome to this, your second homeland,” concluded President Abinader.
Strong Border, Where the Homeland Begins
Meanwhile, during the presentation of the advances achieved in the border zone, the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre, highlighted that, since President Luis Abinader took office in 2020, the comprehensive strategy ‘Strong Border, Where the Homeland Begins’ was launched, through which institutional strengthening and unprecedented military equipment have been developed, accompanied by the construction of the intelligent perimeter fence, the increase in military presence, and the incorporation of cutting-edge technology to guarantee more security, more control, and to make resources more efficient to ensure our sovereignty.
Fernández Onofre explained that the border area currently has about 55 kilometers of fence built, of which 38 correspond to the northern border, in addition to sections in Elías Piña, Independencia, and Pedernales. He specified that the infrastructure has 1,500 solar lights, fiber optics, smart cameras for real-time monitoring, and an autonomous network of drones directed from the C5I.
Added to this are 11,000 soldiers distributed across the different defense lines and the strengthening of mobility, surveillance, and patrolling. He assured that these measures have yielded results, to the point that in areas where cattle, vehicle, and motorcycle theft were frequent, these crimes have practically disappeared.
The minister also highlighted the enormous progress of the Dominican military industry, driven by the disposition of President Abinader, with the assembly of armored vehicles and ambulances, the production of uniforms and other military equipment, which generates savings of between 30% and 40% to make spending more efficient.
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Likewise, he reported that new works and actions continue to strengthen security and development at the border, including 14 additional kilometers of perimeter fence in Jimaní, new border control posts, bridges, military airfields, new facilities for battalions, the incorporation of Furia vehicles, and the strengthening of vocational schools and training linked to the tourism development of border communities.
Fernández Onofre highlighted that the combination of technology, infrastructure, equipment, and military presence has allowed for unprecedented results, including patrols in areas that were previously practically inaccessible and which can now be carried out in approximately 35 minutes.
President Abinader was accompanied by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Víctor “Ito” Bisonó; the Army Commander, Major General Jimmy Arias Grullón; the Director General of the Specialized Corps of Land Border Security (Cesfront), Major General Enrique Armando Aguilera Trujillo; the Governor of Dajabón, Severina Gil; Mayor Santiago Riverón and Senator Ney Rodríguez, among other authorities. Meanwhile, for the delegation of the Republic of Honduras, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mireya Agüero, was present.
