Josué Antinoe Fiallo Billini, the former Dominican ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), recently provided a detailed analysis of the international landscape under the influence of U.S. policies during Donald Trump’s presidency. Speaking in an interview with journalist Pablo McKinney on Color Visión, Fiallo distinguished between Washington’s efforts to combat organized crime in the Caribbean and its strained relations with Venezuela. He cautioned that designating cartels as terrorist organizations could have unintended consequences, potentially disrupting global supply chains and affecting businesses worldwide.
Fiallo observed a troubling decline in multilateralism across the hemisphere, accompanied by the rise of restrictive policies that challenge the rules-based global order. He emphasized that for smaller and medium-sized nations, international law remains the primary safeguard against such shifts. Despite the Dominican Republic’s strong economic and political ties to the United States, Fiallo stressed the importance of pursuing a balanced foreign policy. He advocated for market diversification, expanded diplomatic outreach, and positioning the nation as a strategic link between the Caribbean, North America, and South America.
Additionally, Fiallo underscored the need to uphold fundamental principles such as sovereignty, peace, and cooperation to bolster the country’s credibility on the global stage. He identified several key priorities, including reconciliation with the Inter-American human rights system, immigration policy reform, protection of the diaspora, and leveraging foreign policy to enhance human capital in emerging sectors like semiconductors and artificial intelligence.