Patrick Ventrell, the director of the Office for Western Hemisphere Programs, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US Department of State, visited the Dominican Republic last week.
In an interview with El Dia published on Friday, 14 February 2020, two days before the municipal election, Ventrell said that corruption is the US government’s main concern regarding the Dominican Republic. He said the US would continue to cooperate to strengthen local capacities to fight drug trafficking and strengthen institutions. He warned the US government would continue to revoke visas to corrupt officials and their relatives.
“We don’t want the bad players to think they can operate with impunity and that their families will continue to shop in Miami, or that their children will study in the United States: That’s not going to happen anymore,” he stressed. He said it is not an easy task because of the great economic resources the drug traffickers handle.
Ventrell, who spent three days in the Dominican Republic, is responsible for the State Department’s anti-drug policies for the Americas. He indicated that the State Department will continue to provide assistance in major drug trafficking cases, as it is important for both countries to know the links that drug lords have with politicians and senior military officers.
“We’re looking at the flows and who they’re going to. We are prepared to take appropriate sanctions. Sometimes justice is delayed, but we have a lot of information and we will use it,” he said.
He added that one of the things that has worked well in recent years is joint police training between Colombia and the Dominican Republic, so that the fight against drug trafficking is more effective and each country has the necessary resources.
Ventrell said that the United States is interested that on Sunday free and open elections be held.
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17 February 2020