WASHINGTON, CMC – 4 Caribbean Group (CARICOM) international locations have been listed in President Donald Trump’s “Dedication on Main Drug Transit or Main Illicit Drug Producing Nations for Fiscal 12 months 2026,” submitted to america Congress.
In response to the doc, Trump has recognized The Bahamas, Belize, Haiti, and Jamaica as main transit or main illicit drug-producing international locations.
The opposite international locations named are Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, the Individuals’s Republic of China (PRC), Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Laos, Mexico, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela.
Trump famous {that a} nation’s presence on the listing “isn’t essentially a mirrored image of its authorities’s counterdrug efforts or degree of cooperation with america.”
However he mentioned in step with the statutory definition of a serious drug transit or major illicit drug producing nation outlined within the Overseas Help Act (FAA) of 1961, “the rationale international locations are positioned on the listing is the mix of geographic, business, and financial components that enable medication or precursor chemical compounds to be transited or produced, even when a authorities has engaged in strong and diligent narcotics management and regulation enforcement measures”.
He acknowledged that Afghanistan, Bolivia, Burma, Colombia, and Venezuela have demonstrably failed to stick to their obligations beneath worldwide counternarcotics agreements and to take the required measures in the course of the earlier 12 months.
Trump instructed Congress that transnational organized crime’s trafficking of fentanyl and different lethal illicit medication into america has created a nationwide emergency, together with a public well being disaster in america that continues to be the main reason for demise for People ages 18 to 44.
He mentioned greater than 40 per cent of People know somebody who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024, america averaged over 200 deaths day by day as a result of illicit medication.
“This stays unacceptable, and my administration is deploying each facet of American energy and unprecedented sources to defeat this risk to our nation.”
Trump spoke of the assorted measures being applied by his administration to maintain the nation secure from drug sellers, together with “utilizing the complete vary of regulation enforcement and army sources…
“For the primary time in 4 years, our border is not an open sieve for drug terrorist cartels, human traffickers, and all others who would do our nation hurt. American lives are being saved, with overdose deaths lastly beginning to recede considerably for the primary time in over a decade.”
He mentioned he has additionally marshalled america’ financial energy to compel larger cooperation from its North American neighbours to confront the drug risk and do their half.
“Whereas america will dedicate all essential sources to punish criminals enabling the manufacturing, transportation, and smuggling of illicit medication throughout our borders, I may even name on international locations the place these medication originate and transit to satisfy their obligations and shut off these provides – or face severe penalties.”
Whereas america President gave detailed accounts of the drug state of affairs in among the international locations recognized as main transit or major illicit drug-producing international locations, he didn’t present any particular clarification for placing the CARICOM international locations on the listing.
