SOUTHCOM Commander Meets with Defense Leaders in Dominican Republic

The commander of U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, visited the Dominican Republic Aug. 7 - 8, 2025, and met with top defense leaders to reaffirm the longstanding military partnership between both nations.

The trip was Holsey's first visit to the Dominican Republic since assuming command of SOUTHCOM last November.

On Aug. 8, Holsey met with Minister of Defense Lt. Gen. Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre and other top Dominican Republic military leaders to discuss strengthening the bilateral defense partnership. The leaders also discussed efforts to address shared regional security challenges, including transnational organized crime, illicit trafficking, and border security.

Holsey later visited the Ministry of Defense's Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber Security and Intelligence (C5i) Center to see how the nation monitors its borders and coordinates intelligence sharing and security operations.

The Dominican Republic is an invaluable regional security leader. The nation's military partners with the U.S. armed forces during multiple training exercises and engagements and collaborates during regional security operations, including counternarcotics, counterterrorism, alien smuggling operations, and criminal extraditions.

The visit underscores SOUTHCOM's commitment to continue partnering with the Dominican Republic to address regional security challenges.