Dom Rep grants US access to restricted areas for fight against drugs

SAN JUAN (AP):

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader announced Wednesday that he has authorised the US government to operate inside restricted areas in the Caribbean country to help in its fight against drug trafficking.

For a limited time, the US can refuel aircraft and transport equipment and technical personnel at restricted areas within the San Isidro Air Base and Las Américas International Airport, said Abinader, who made the announcement with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth at his side.

It is the first major public agreement that the US has struck with a Caribbean nation as it seeks friendly allies to support its attacks against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the region and beyond. Since the strikes began in early September, at least 83 people have been killed.

Hegseth said the Dominican Republic was a regional leader willing to take on hard challenges.

“That’s why I’m here today. That’s why we decided to come here first,” he said. “The Dominican Republic has stepped up.”

Hegseth said the US would respect the Caribbean country’s sovereignty and laws as US service members and aircraft prepare to deploy to the Dominican Republic. He did not provide additional details.

Meanwhile, Abinader said the scope of the agreement is “technical, limited, and temporary.”

“The purpose is clear: to strengthen the air and maritime protection ring maintained by our Armed Forces, a decisive reinforcement to prevent the entry of narcotics and to strike a more decisive blow against transnational organised crime,” he said.

After a news conference where no questions were allowed, the office of the president issued a statement with more details, noting that several KC-135 tanker aircraft would be present to support air patrol missions, expanding monitoring and interdiction capabilities over a large portion of the maritime and air domains.

Additionally, C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft would facilitate aeromedical evacuations, firefighting, weather reconnaissance, and disaster relief, the office said.

Abinader noted that the Dominican Republic has seized nearly 10 times more drugs per year in the past five years than in the previous decade thanks to close collaboration with the US.

“Our country faces a real threat, a threat that knows no borders, no flags, that destroys families, and that has been trying to use our territory for decades,” he said. “That threat is drug trafficking, and no country can or should confront it without allies.”

Hegseth’s visit comes a day after General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and US President Donald Trump’s primary military adviser, met with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.

The prime minister has praised the strikes, drawing criticism ever since stating in early September that she had no sympathy for drug traffickers and that “the US military should kill them all violently.”

On Wednesday, Persad-Bissessar said US marines were recently in the twin-island nation to do some work at an airport roadway and to train with local soldiers.

“They are not here on the ground,” she said. “We are not about to launch any campaign against Venezuela.”

She said that Trinidad has not been asked to be a base for any attack against Venezuela, and that Venezuela was not mentioned in conversations with the US on Tuesday.