The scope of the deal was made clear by Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, saying on 1st December that a temporary agreement permitting U.S. staff to access restricted areas of the airport in counter-narcotics operations would expire in April 2026.

The deal belongs to an even larger, more violent U.S. anti-narcotics initiative in the Caribbean, which U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he would like to extend to other countries.

During his weekly press conferences, Abinader clarified that the agreement would cover limited areas at Las Americas International Airport and the air base of San Isidor. He emphasized that the missions are logistical and non-combat, which would enable U.S. aircraft to ensure that they could refuel their aircraft and transport equipment to support missions in the region.

Hegseth visited the country last week and signed the agreement, calling the collaboration a model that the country can further hope to develop with other nations.

President Abinader indicated that the agreement was a continuation of an already existing bilateral anti-drug agreement that dates back to agreements of 1995 and 2003. This will assist us greatly, along with the Dominican Navy and with the specialized technological information, Abinader said.

In recent months, the U.S. has increased its military activities and presence in the Caribbean to a significantly larger extent. It has involved deadly assaults on suspected drug-trafficking vessels that have cost the lives of dozens of people as part of the overall regional policy of putting more pressure on the government in Venezuela.