The president of the Dominican Republic, Luis Abinader, has given the United States permission to operate inside certain militarily restricted areas of the country as part of a joint fight against drug trafficking.
For a short period, the U.S. will be able to refuel its aircraft and move equipment and technical staff through restricted zones at the San Isidro Air Base and Las Américas International Airport.
Abinader made the announcement alongside U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Santo Domingo.
Hegseth met Abinader and the Dominican defense minister as part of a wider U.S. effort to find Caribbean partners willing to support operations against boats suspected of smuggling drugs. Since the U.S. began its strikes in early September, at least 83 people have been killed.
Hegseth praised the Dominican Republic as a regional leader willing to take on difficult tasks. He said the U.S. would respect Dominican laws and sovereignty as its forces and aircraft prepare to deploy, though he did not share further details.
Abinader stressed that the agreement is technical, narrow, and temporary. He said its purpose is to strengthen air and sea security so that more drugs can be intercepted before they reach Dominican territory.
After the press conference, his office explained that several KC-135 tanker planes will support air patrols by refueling partner aircraft and extending their range for monitoring and tracking illegal activity.
The president’s office also said that C-130 Hercules cargo planes would be available for medical evacuations, firefighting, weather missions, and disaster relief. Abinader noted that the country now seizes nearly ten times more drugs each year than it did a decade ago, due to its cooperation with the U.S.
Hegseth said the Dominican Republic understands the need to confront “narco-terrorists” who spread violence and drugs throughout the region. He claimed the U.S. has strong intelligence and legal processes and knows where smugglers travel and what they intend to do.
Some observers believe the ongoing U.S. strikes are partly aimed at pressuring Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, especially as the U.S. has recently built up its largest military presence in the region in many years.
Hegseth’s visit followed a meeting between Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. She has publicly supported the strikes and has said she has “no sympathy” for drug traffickers. She also said U.S. marines had visited Trinidad recently for airport and training work but were not preparing any attack on Venezuela.
Caine also visited Puerto Rico earlier in the week to meet U.S. troops and board a Navy ship. Both he and Hegseth had made earlier visits to Puerto Rico in September.
The U.S. has also approached Grenada about the possible installation of a temporary radar at its international airport. Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has said that any decision would be made openly and would follow all laws, though no public update has been given.
Source: AP News.
