A high-profile delegation led by Geanilda Vásquez, pro tempore president of the Central American Integration System (SICA), undertook an official working visit to Guatemala between May 11 and 12 to examine the Central American nation’s successful “Return to Home Plan”, a landmark government initiative designed to deliver holistic humanitarian aid and long-term reintegration support to migrants returning to their home country.
As the head of the Dominican delegation, Vásquez confirmed that her country is currently developing its own tailored national model for receiving and reintegrating returning Dominican migrants, drawing on proven successful strategies from across the Central American region. The upcoming Dominican program is structured to address the full spectrum of needs that returnees often face after arriving back home, ranging from immediate access to emergency medical care and official identity documentation to longer-term support including public education enrollment, professional job placement services, and specialized psychosocial counseling to help returnees readjust to community life.
During the two-day working trip, the Dominican delegation held in-depth coordination meetings with senior representatives from three key institutions: the Guatemalan Migration Institute, the Secretariat for Central American Social Integration, and the International Organization for Migration. Beyond formal talks, delegation members also conducted on-site tours of state-run migrant reception and assistance facilities across Guatemala, where they gained first-hand insight into how different government and international bodies coordinate their work to support returnees from the moment of arrival through to full, sustained reintegration into local communities.