It is rare—if not unprecedented—for a sitting president to be questioned and held for several hours by the intelligence service of another country. Presidential advisor Smith Augustin can now claim that distinction. Accused by Dominican authorities of “illegally” entering their territory on Wednesday, July 30, this member of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) was forced to spend four hours under Dominican immigration surveillance, sources with firsthand knowledge told Le Nouvelliste.

“Last Wednesday, Haitian consul Herns Laveaux, who works at the Haitian consulate in Dajabón, left his post in his vehicle to enter Haitian territory. Upon his return at 5:05 p.m., the Dominican side of the border was already closed, while the Haitian side remained open. The consul spoke with Dominican agents and explained who was with him in the car, but Smith Augustin refused to undergo checks, claiming he was only running a quick errand. As a result, immigration did not stamp his passport,” our sources explained to Le Nouvelliste.