Dominican Republic Opens Restricted Airspace to U.S. Forces in Bold Strike Against Drug Cartels

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic — November 26, 2025  In a landmark move to fortify defenses against the relentless tide of transnational crime, President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republic announced today that his government has granted the United States temporary access to key restricted military zones. The agreement, unveiled during a joint news conference in the capital, allows U.S. forces to bolster anti-drug operations from Dominican soil, marking a significant escalation in bilateral efforts to dismantle international organized crime networks.

Flanked by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Abinader described the pact as a "decisive reinforcement" aimed at sealing off narcotics inflows and delivering a harder blow to shadowy criminal syndicates. Under the terms, the Pentagon gains limited, technical access to restricted sections of the San Isidro Air Base and Las Américas International Airport. This includes refueling capabilities for aircraft and the transport of equipment and technical personnel—measures designed to enhance surveillance and interdiction in the drug-riddled waters of the Caribbean.

"It is a decisive reinforcement to prevent the entry of narcotics and strike more forcefully at transnational organized crime," Abinader declared, emphasizing the temporary and sovereignty-respecting nature of the deal. He painted a stark picture of the threat at hand: "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."

The announcement comes amid a surge in drug seizures in the Dominican Republic, where authorities have intercepted nearly 10 times more illicit substances annually over the past five years compared to the previous decade. Officials credit this uptick to deepening collaboration with Washington, including joint maritime patrols and intelligence sharing. Yet, the Caribbean nation remains a notorious transit hub for cocaine shipments from South America bound for North American markets, with cartels exploiting its strategic position between Colombia and Puerto Rico.Hegseth, a key figure in the Trump administration's renewed focus on hemispheric security, lauded the Dominican Republic's commitment. "The Dominican Republic has stepped up," he said, pledging that U.S. operations would fully honor local laws and territorial integrity. While specifics on deployment timelines or troop numbers remain under wraps, the secretary hinted at imminent preparations for service members and aircraft to integrate into the island's air and maritime "protection ring."

This accord represents the first major military entente between the Trump administration and the Dominican Republic, signaling a broader U.S. push to rally regional allies against escalating narco-violence. Just weeks ago, similar discussions surfaced in Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada, where leaders weighed U.S. proposals for temporary radar installations to track aerial smuggling routes. Critics, however, have raised eyebrows over potential sovereignty erosions, with opposition voices in Santo Domingo warning that even limited access could set precedents for deeper entanglements.

Abinader, a center-right leader reelected earlier this year on promises of economic reform and security, has positioned the deal as a pragmatic response to a shared scourge. "The purpose is clear: to strengthen the air and maritime protection ring maintained by our Armed Forces," he reiterated, underscoring that the initiative is "technical, limited, and temporary."

17GEN4.com