Washington (EFE).- The White House said Monday that Caribbean nations are “grateful” for the United States military presence in the region, pointing to cooperation with the Dominican Republic in a recent drug seizure as proof of joint efforts to combat narcotrafficking.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt highlighted the Dominican Navy’s recovery of narcotics from a boat previously targeted by the US military in Caribbean waters.
“If you listen to the countries of the Caribbean, they are grateful for the actions of the U.S. government,” Leavitt told reporters.
Dominican Republic seizes cocaine shipment
The Dominican Republic’s National Drug Control Directorate (DNCD) reported Sunday that its authorities recovered 377 packages of suspected cocaine from the vessel, which carried about one metric ton of narcotics.
The interception took place some 80 nautical miles south of Isla Beata, in the southwest of the Dominican Republic, after Dominican forces acted “in close coordination with US Southern Command (Southcom) and the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-South),” according to an official DNCD statement.
Three crew members aboard the vessel were killed during the US military strike, Dominican authorities confirmed.
The operation was carried out in the presence of representatives from the US Embassy and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
White House defends military role
Leavitt insisted that Washington’s strategy has strong backing in the region.
“Countries are working alongside us to eliminate the plague of drug trafficking,” she said, citing the Dominican case as a model of the US-Caribbean cooperation.
The United States President Donald Trump administration has faced criticism from regional and international observers over the scope of military operations in the Caribbean, particularly air and naval strikes against suspected drug vessels.
However, US officials maintain the operations are necessary to disrupt criminal networks and strengthen maritime security.
Regional implications of anti-drug campaign
The Caribbean remains a key transit point for cocaine trafficked from South America to North America and Europe.
According to US and regional authorities, drug cartels often use “narco-boats” to move shipments across open waters, making interdiction efforts a priority for both the US and Caribbean governments.
Washington argues that the latest Dominican seizure illustrates not only operational success but also growing alignment with local partners.
“This is a shared fight, and we are proud of the cooperation shown,” Leavitt said.
The White House added that further collaboration with Caribbean states is expected in the coming weeks, with US Southern Command continuing to coordinate maritime and aerial surveillance across the region. EFE
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