Strategic renewal in the Armed Forces: Abinader restructures national defense
President Luis Abinader has marked a turning point in the security and defense of the Dominican Republic with a profound restructuring of the Armed Forces command. Through Decree 557-26, the president has officialized changes in key positions, seeking to strengthen the State’s response to critical challenges such as instability at the border, irregular migration, and the fight against international drug trafficking.
New leadership in military institutions
The new military leadership presents high-profile figures who are assuming strategic responsibilities for the country:
- Dominican Republic Army: Major General Jimmy Arias Grullón assumes command of the institution, replacing Major General Jorge Iván Camino Pérez, who moves on to serve as Inspector General of the Armed Forces.
- Dominican Republic Air Force: Major General Enmanuel Marcelino Souffront Tamayo has been appointed commander general, leading a vital institution for the surveillance of national airspace.
- Presidential Security: Brigadier General Guillermo Caro Cruz was promoted to major general and appointed head of the Presidential Security Corps, while General Rafael Raimundo Ramírez Tejeda assumes command of the Presidential Guard Regiment.
- Other positions: Major General Delio Buenaventura Colón Rosario was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense for Military Affairs and Major General Celin Rubio Terrero will serve as military advisor to the president.
Priorities: Border and air sovereignty
Border zone management remains the central axis of the security agenda. Given the complex crisis that Haiti is going through, the new Army command has the unavoidable mission of shielding territorial surveillance and curbing irregular migratory flows that use clandestine points to violate sovereignty.
The success of this new military structure will be measured by its ability to anticipate modern threats and coordinate joint efforts with intelligence agencies and the National Police.
Alofoke Deportes
On the other hand, the Air Force, under the leadership of Souffront Tamayo, faces the challenge of modernizing the detection and interdiction of aircraft linked to organized crime. The country’s geographical location demands constant surveillance, both in the airspace and along the coasts, to prevent the territory from being used as a platform for international drug trafficking.
A comprehensive security vision
These military changes are executed in synchrony with the recent appointment of Ernesto Rodríguez García to lead the National Police. This simultaneous renewal at the heads of security institutions reflects the Executive Branch’s intention to consolidate a unified national strategy. The commitment of the new authorities is clear: greater internal discipline, efficient operations at critical points, and a forceful response against the criminal networks that threaten the nation’s tranquility.
