US will use Dominican Airports!
Santo Domingo, Nov 26 (EFE).-
The United States will provisionally use two airports in the Dominican Republic as part of its regional military deployment under Operation Southern Lance, Dominican President Luis Abinader and United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced Wednesday after meeting at the National Palace.
The facilities will support the transport of equipment and technical personnel for US counter-narcotics actions across the Caribbean.
Abinader said the Las Américas International Airport and the San Isidro military airbase, bth in Santo Domingo province, will allocate areas for US logistical use.
He declined to offer further operational details, stating only that the agreement falls under “special permits” granted to Washington through existing bilateral security cooperation protocols.
Hegseth’s visit, described as the first official trip to the Dominican Republic by a sitting US Secretary of War, comes amid a renewed joint effort to curb the flow of narcotics from South America to the United States.
“This fight against drug trafficking is a priority for my administration, because it represents a threat to national and regional stability,” Abinader said. “No country can, or should, confront this challenge without allies.”
Dominican authorities reported the seizure of 1,290 packages of narcotics this month in operations linked to Operation Southern Lace.
Washington says ‘forceful actions’ needed against trafficking networks Hegseth thanked the Dominican government for its cooperation, stressing that US actions in the Caribbean represent the “only language” understood by drug trafficking and terrorist organizations.
“We are defending our citizens. We seek security so that our countries continue to prosper, to end violence and save tens of thousands of lives,” he said. “President Trump believes in and strengthens these alliances.”
The US official also underscored that the use of Dominican airport facilities will be strictly provisional, praising Abinader for granting the authorization and calling the Dominican Republic a “regional leader” in counter-narcotics efforts.
Dominican government signals broader cooperation
The announcement comes as Washington intensifies operations to destroy fast boats leaving South America, vessels the Trump administration says are used by criminal networks to reach US shores.
Dominican intelligence and maritime surveillance capacities have become increasingly integrated into US-backed regional strategies.
“The US and the Dominican Republic share many things, including the importance of border security,” Hegseth added. “For us, border security is essential, as President Trump has said, and I believe it should be equally emphasized here.”
Abinader reaffirmed the country’s commitment to joint security initiatives, calling the new measures an extension of the long-standing defense cooperation between both nations. EFE
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