NEW YORK — Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Ávila Chevalier, who is seeking to represent New York’s 13th Congressional District, is facing a growing wave of criticism from broad sectors of the Dominican diaspora following the resurfacing of deleted social media posts in which she questioned Dominican national symbols, described Dominican nationalism as “violent,” and expressed regret over the historical separation of the Dominican Republic and Haiti.
The posts, recovered from digital archives and initially reported by U.S. media outlets before later being circulated by Dominican news organizations, have sparked a controversy that extends beyond traditional ideological differences and touches one of the most sensitive issues for Dominicans both at home and abroad: national identity.
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Among the most widely discussed posts is a March 2022 message in which Ávila Chevalier stated that she avoids displaying the Dominican flag on her social media profiles because the nationalism associated with it is “violent” and that “nothing good can come from it.”
For many Dominicans living in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Miami, the flag does not represent a political movement but rather the historic symbol of a nation that achieved its independence after 22 years of Haitian occupation and has preserved its distinct cultural identity for more than a century and a half.
Public outrage intensified further when another message attributed to the candidate resurfaced. In a June 2020 post, she allegedly wrote that “we really could have had a free, Black, and unified Quisqueya.”
That statement was interpreted by numerous Dominican community leaders, elected officials, and activists as an expression of regret over the historical division between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and as a nostalgic reference to the idea of political unification between the two nations. Such a concept has historically been rejected by the overwhelming majority of Dominicans and stands in direct contrast to the founding narrative of Dominican independence proclaimed on February 27, 1844.
A POSITION AT ODDS WITH DOMINICAN HISTORY
Dominican independence emerged precisely as a result of separation from Haiti after more than two decades of occupation of the eastern portion of the island.
For that reason, any suggestion that political unification would have been preferable has traditionally generated strong reactions among Dominicans across the political spectrum.
Historians interviewed by various media outlets have noted that the concept of a “unified Quisqueya” has long been promoted by certain academic and activist circles that favor a more integrated interpretation of Haitian-Dominican history.
However, for a significant portion of the Dominican diaspora—particularly in Washington Heights, Inwood, and the Bronx—such rhetoric is perceived as a direct challenge to the historical legitimacy of the Dominican Republic as a sovereign nation.
BACKLASH ACROSS THE DIASPORA
Reactions across social media, community radio programs, digital news platforms, and Dominican organizations throughout New York have been particularly intense.
Many voters have stated that while they may tolerate ideological differences regarding taxation, immigration, healthcare, or foreign policy, they find it unacceptable for a candidate seeking to represent one of the nation’s largest Dominican constituencies to question symbols that are deeply intertwined with Dominican national identity.
For many within the community, the controversy is not limited to an isolated comment about Haiti. Rather, they view the resurfaced posts as part of a broader pattern of statements perceived as hostile toward key elements of Dominican identity, including the national flag, independence, historical heritage, and the patriotic sentiments shared by millions of Dominicans both on the island and throughout the diaspora.
A POTENTIAL POLITICAL COST
New York’s 13th Congressional District is home to one of the largest concentrations of Dominican-American voters in the United States.
Political observers believe these revelations could significantly undermine Ávila Chevalier’s ability to connect with a community in which national pride remains a powerful factor in civic and political engagement.
Although the candidate has previously stated that many of her old social media posts do not necessarily reflect her current views and that her political perspectives have evolved over time, she has yet to provide a detailed explanation regarding her comments on Dominican nationalism, the Dominican flag, or the notion of a unified Quisqueya.
Meanwhile, the debate continues to grow and threatens to become one of the most sensitive issues in the current electoral cycle.
What began as a review of old social media posts has evolved into a much deeper conversation about identity, historical memory, nationalism, and political representation within one of the most influential Dominican communities outside the Dominican Republic.
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