United States includes Dominican Republic and Central American countries in drug transit list for 2027
The United States government has made public its presidential determination for the 2027 fiscal year, in which it identifies the main territories considered to be transit points or production hubs for illicit substances. This list, which includes a total of 23 nations, features the Dominican Republic and all of the countries that make up the Central American region.
The list, released by the State Department, includes Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama, in addition to the Dominican Republic. This group joins other territories of strategic importance in the fight against drug trafficking, such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas.
A technical measure, not a value judgment
It is important to highlight that, according to U.S. authorities, a nation’s presence on this list does not automatically equate to a negative assessment of its internal security policies or its commitment to combating drugs. The classification responds to geographic, commercial, and economic factors that facilitate the movement or manufacture of narcotics and chemical precursors.
This condition may apply even in scenarios where national authorities carry out significant efforts regarding narcotics control and law enforcement.
In the specific case of the Dominican Republic, local authorities have maintained a constant fight against organized crime. Recently, significant blows to drug trafficking have been recorded, such as the seizure of more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine on the vessel Lucifer in Cap Cana and another 666 kilograms confiscated through simultaneous operations, according to data from the National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD).
Particular situations and regional challenges
Although the list is extensive, the White House report clearly distinguishes between countries categorized by their geographical position and those that have been singled out for alleged non-compliance with their international commitments. Nicaragua, for example, was the subject of direct questioning toward its administration due to the lack of decisive measures against drug trafficking and the alleged complicity of government officials.
- Mexico and Canada: Both countries received warnings regarding the flows of fentanyl and synthetic drugs. Washington acknowledged Mexican efforts in dismantling laboratories, but urged for increased surveillance at ports and borders.
- China: It was identified as the world’s leading producer of chemical precursors essential for the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine.
- Countries under observation: Nations such as Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, and Colombia were designated as countries that have demonstrably failed to meet their international drug control obligations, although the United States will maintain assistance in several of these cases, considering it vital to its national interests.
This determination will be presented to the U.S. Congress and formally published in the Federal Register, keeping open the possibility of reviewing the designations next year, depending on the progress that the governments manage to demonstrate in the prosecution of criminal networks and the fight against corruption.
