U.S. adds Dominican Republic to list of major drug transit countries

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has been added to the U.S. State Department’s list of countries identified as major transit or production hubs for illicit drugs, according to a statement from the Trump administration. The Caribbean nation now appears alongside others in the region, including the Bahamas, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela, which Washington says play key roles in international drug trafficking networks.

The announcement also confirmed that Colombia was removed from the list of countries considered cooperative in the fight against narcotics. Instead, the U.S. placed Colombia, along with Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, and Venezuela, among nations that have “manifestly failed” to meet their obligations under international counternarcotics agreements. Colombian President Gustavo Petro acknowledged the decision, describing it as a U.S. decertification of his country’s anti-drug efforts, despite the heavy toll on Colombian security forces and civilians battling cocaine production and trafficking.

The move marks the first time since 1997 that Colombia has been placed in this category, a decision that underscores rising cocaine output and growing strains in U.S.-Colombia relations. Certification, an annual review Washington has conducted since 1986, evaluates the commitment of about 20 producing and transit countries to drug control efforts. The Trump administration’s stance signals a tougher approach in the Caribbean and Latin America, with potential diplomatic and security implications across the region.