Diplomat sees danger in U.S. move to designate cartels as terrorists

Santo Domingo.- Former Dominican ambassador to the OAS, Josué Antinoe Fiallo Billini, analyzed the current international context under Donald Trump, distinguishing between U.S. actions against organized crime in the Caribbean and Washington’s tense relations with Venezuela. He warned that labeling cartels as terrorist groups could generate collateral effects on global supply chains and companies in other countries.

During an interview with journalist Pablo McKinney on Color Visión, Fiallo argued that the hemisphere is experiencing a decline in multilateralism and the rise of restrictive policies that threaten the rules-based global order. “For small and medium-sized nations, the only protection is international law,” he stated.

Fiallo highlighted the Dominican Republic’s close dependence on the United States but noted that this does not prevent the country from pursuing a balanced foreign policy. He advocated for diversifying markets, expanding diplomatic representation, and positioning the nation as a bridge between the Caribbean, North and South America. He also emphasized the need to uphold key principles—sovereignty, peace, and cooperation—to build credibility. Among the priorities he cited are reconciling with the Inter-American human rights system, reforming immigration policies, protecting the diaspora, and leveraging foreign policy to promote human capital in emerging industries such as semiconductors and artificial intelligence.