Dominican Republic and Central American nations are included in the U.S. drug transit list.
The United States government has updated its list of countries considered major illicit drug transit or production points for fiscal year 2027. In this new report, submitted to the U.S. Congress, the Dominican Republic is once again included alongside the seven nations that make up Central America: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.
The relationship, which spans a total of 23 territories globally, also integrates countries such as Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, Haiti, Bahamas, and Jamaica. It is important to highlight, according to the State Department, that inclusion in this registry does not necessarily constitute a negative judgment on the security policies or counter-narcotics efforts currently being executed by these nations.
Evaluation criteria and regional context
The designation is based on geographical, commercial, and economic factors that, by their nature, facilitate the trafficking of drugs or the manufacturing of precursor chemical inputs. Washington clarifies that this condition can apply even to countries that maintain an active fight against organized crime and have achieved significant results in the seizure of narcotics.
In the specific case of the Dominican Republic, the country has maintained constant operations against criminal networks. Recently, local authorities highlighted the seizure of more than a ton of cocaine on a vessel in Cap Cana, in addition to simultaneous operations that resulted in the confiscation of hundreds of additional kilos, reaffirming the State’s commitment to border and maritime security.
Particular situations on the continent
- Nicaragua: Although it was included in the list, the White House report was critical of the Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo regime, pointing to an alleged lack of sufficient measures against drug trafficking and the presumed complicity of public officials in illicit activities.
- Mexico and Canada: Both countries received warnings from U.S. authorities regarding the flow of fentanyl and synthetic drugs. In the Mexican case, efforts to dismantle laboratories were acknowledged, but the country was urged to deepen surveillance at ports and the fight against narcoterrorist organizations.
- Designations for non-compliance: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, and Colombia were the only countries singled out for failing to demonstrably meet their international commitments regarding drug control, although the United States will maintain assistance to the latter three, considering cooperation essential to its national interests.
Finally, the document identifies China as the main producer of the chemical substances used for the production of fentanyl and methamphetamine, urging greater regulation of its exports to prevent traffickers from continuing to evade current controls through unregulated products.
