President Luis Abinader declared that the Dominican Republic now possesses elite armed forces after Dominican soldiers won the international Fuerzas Comando 2026 competition. He made the announcement during a ceremony at the National Palace in Santo Domingo on Thursday to honor the victorious military team.
Abinader stated that the national military is better prepared, better equipped, and supported by superior infrastructure compared to when he took office in 2020. He described the progress achieved by the armed forces over the past six years as tremendous.
The president highlighted a major shift in military procurement, noting that the Caribbean nation no longer relies solely on buying foreign equipment. The Dominican Republic now manufactures part of its own military machinery and has begun exporting hardware abroad.
Abinader stated that the country has reached a new level where it is in the process of selling and exporting tactical drones, Furia armored vehicles, and military ambulances produced by the domestic defense industry. He added that no nation can remain strong or secure without solid and well prepared armed forces.
Domestic defense manufacturing
Abinader assumed the presidency of the Dominican Republic in August 2020. Over his tenure, the government has invested heavily in modernizing the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic, which comprise the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The country has developed domestic defense assembly lines to build lightweight tactical vehicles such as the Furia series, alongside specialized ambulances and surveillance aircraft.
Defense Minister Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre also spoke at the National Palace ceremony, praising the team of winning soldiers. He stated that the victory served as a concrete example of the continuous preparation, professional quality, and human excellence being cultivated within the Dominican military ranks.
Fernández Onofre noted that the achievement was made possible by combining discipline, rigorous training, teamwork, leadership, sacrifice, and a strong will to win. He gave credit to the military instructor corps for contributing their extensive experience to the team.
Historic victory in South America
Both Abinader and Fernández Onofre emphasized that the win represents the first time in history that the Dominican Republic has captured top honors in the military tournament. The event, held in Paraguay in August, brought together military and police special forces from across the Western Hemisphere.
Abinader stressed the magnitude of the accomplishment by noting that the Dominican Republic finished ahead of traditional military powers, including the United States and Colombia. Both nations had previously won multiple titles in past editions of the contest.
Addressing those unfamiliar with military terminology, Abinader explained that the tournament involved elite command forces from armed services across the Americas. Competing against established global forces demonstrated the significant operational development of the Dominican Army.
Understanding Fuerzas Comando
Fuerzas Comando is an annual special operations exercise and tactical competition established in 2004. Sponsored by the United States Southern Command alongside a regional host nation, the 22-year-old event evaluates operational readiness under severe physical stress and fatigue.
The United States Southern Command, headquartered in Doral, Florida, oversees American military cooperation and joint exercises throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. The 2026 competition in Paraguay gathered elite counter-terrorism and special operations units from approximately 17 nations.
The multi-day exercise tests counter-terrorism tactics, sniper marksmanship, obstacle course navigation, and assault maneuvers. Following their historic victory in Paraguay, the Dominican soldiers returned to Santo Domingo as the country expands its defense manufacturing and military training programs.
