The United States Secretary of State, the recently confirmed senator from Florida, Marco Rubio, concluded his Central American and Caribbean tour (Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemela and Dominican Republic) with a short visit to Santo Domingo on 5 and 6 February 2025.
In his remarks wrapping up the meetings of the short visit of Rubio, President Luis Abinader said the focus of the talks had been on security, migration and trade. He repeated his call for more help with Haiti. President Abinader reaffirmed once again that there can not be a Dominican solution to the Haitian crisis. He mentioned advances for the organization of the 10th Summit of the Americas in Punta Cana this coming December 2025 with the expected visit of US President Donald Trump. This would be the first US President to visit.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured the Dominican President that the United States would maintain certain programs that were considered to be successful in the Dominican Republic, especially those against drug trafficking. In his words, he said the results of the program have been “extraordinary.” He reaffirmed that the programs to fight drug trafficking and criminal activities, in the Dominican Republic, and programs in Haiti to avoid uncontrolled waves of migrants would be continued, in part because these programs make the United States safer and more secure.
President Abinader remarks: (Via interpreter) “We welcome Marco Rubio, his delegation, Madam Vice President, foreign minister, ministers – thank you all for being here.
“It is an honor for the Dominican Republic to welcome the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, on this visit that reaffirms the goal to strengthen bilateral relations with the United States of America. In our meeting, we discussed issues of great importance to both countries, highlighting cooperation in security, migration, and trade – areas where our relationship has shown significant progress.
“I thank the U.S. for its support in the fight against drug trafficking, organized crime, and irregular migration, which shows our shared commitment for a Caribbean that is safer and more prosperous. Given the growing threat of synthetic drugs and as a result of our bilateral conversations, I have decided to appoint Vice Admiral Cabrera Ulloa as our drug czar in charge of leading our joint efforts with the United States to stop the expansion of this substance which has taken many lives in your country. Cabrera Ulloa’s great record prepare him to lead this new initiative successfully. In their security, the DR has shown itself to be a strategic ally in the region. We have a holistic plan for migration control and for fighting criminal structures, which include strengthening our armed forces, implementing advanced technology for biometric identification, hardening measures against criminals, and strengthening our legislation to go against drugs and transnational crime. We also have international legal cooperation that is high level, with robust cooperation and extraditions and enforcing the law, which is unprecedented in the region. The DR’s commitment to regional stability is firm in this regard.
“We discussed the crisis in Haiti. This is a situation that requires a coordinated, solid response from the entire international community. We have reiterated that there is no Dominican solution for the Haitian crisis. That is why we have highlighted the urgent need to have greater financial support for the multilateral support led by Kenya, the goal being to expand its operational capacity and ensure effective actions. We also highlighted the important – importance of re-establishing humanitarian assistance to avoid a worsening of the crisis and a possible uncontrollable migration wave that would affect both the Dominican Republic and the United States.
“We agree that there is no time to lose, Mr. Secretary. The Haitian situation is a threat to security in the entire region, including that of the United States. Every day that passes is a day of fire and blood. Haiti is drowning while a significant part of the international community is passively watching from the sidelines without showing the commitment that the serious situation requires. We both know that we must not shirk our responsibility to have firm determination. Given the situation in the case of Haiti, the leadership of the U.S. is fundamental and there is no substitute.
“Regarding the Tenth Summit of the Americas that will be held in December in Punta Cana, we agreed that it is important to strengthen regional integration as a road for the social and economic development of our peoples – always marked by democracy, freedom, and the respect for the fundamental values that unite us. One of the key issues in our conversation was also the development of rare earths, a resource that has great potential for the Dominican Republic.
“In this case, there are new opportunities for growth and investment and would make us more competitive in international markets. Our country continues to become consolidated as a place for tourism par excellence with a favorable business climate and important modernization of this area. In spite of the challenges that we still face, we are very willing to go towards a more prosperous, safe, and equal Dominican Republic. In closing this visit, Secretary Rubio strengthens the relationship of mutual respect, cooperation, and friendship among our countries. We are committed to continue working together in order to promote peace, well-being, and progress in hopes of a shared future of prosperity and stability in our region.
“Thank you, Secretary Rubio for your visit, for your ongoing commitment, and your favorable opinion of the Dominican Republic. Let us continue to move forward together with a vision, with determination, and a great feeling of hope in the future. Thank you very much.”
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10 February 2025