SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AFP)—The Dominican Republic said Wednesday it will allow the United States to use an air base and airport as part of its controversial operations against alleged drug traffickers that have killed more than 80 people so far.

The announcement came during a visit by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to Santo Domingo, as the United States seeks to ramp up pressure on leftist Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, whom Washington accuses of heading a drug cartel.

“We have authorized the United States, for a limited time, to use restricted areas at the San Isidro Air Base and the Las Americas International Airport for logistical operations of aircraft,” including refueling and the transport of equipment and personnel, President Luis Abinader told a news conference.

Hegseth, who spoke alongside the Dominican leader, confirmed the “temporary deployment of US service members and aircraft,” saying Washington is “deadly serious” about the counter-narcotics mission.

“In waging this war on narco-terrorists, we’re willing to go on the offense, go on the offense in a way that changes the dynamic for the entire region, and we think can bring safety, stability and security to our partners,” Hegseth said.

“We must meet narco-terrorists and their illegal activities with strength and swift action. It’s the only language they understand,” he added.

– Major military buildup –

The visit came after the United States designated an alleged Venezuelan drug cartel, Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), as a foreign terrorist organization, which gives President Donald Trump’s administration legal cover for more action against Venezuelan authorities.

The United States began carrying out strikes on alleged drug smugglers — which experts say amount to extrajudicial killings even if they target known traffickers — in early September, and has now destroyed more than 20 vessels it says were used for trafficking.

But Washington has yet to make public any evidence that its targets were smuggling narcotics or posed a threat to the United States.

Trump has deployed the world’s biggest aircraft carrier and 10 other ships to the Caribbean — a huge force for a mission to counter traffickers — and Washington has also carried out multiple shows of force with B-52 and B-1B bombers flying near Venezuela’s coast.

Regional tensions have flared as a result of the strikes and the military buildup, with Maduro accusing Washington of using drug trafficking as a pretext for “imposing regime change” in Caracas to seize Venezuelan oil.

Maduro insists there is no drug cultivation in Venezuela, which he says is used as a trafficking route for Colombian cocaine against its will.

The Dominican Republic has already been cooperating with the US anti-drug operations.

Authorities in the country, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, announced earlier this month that they had seized about 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of cocaine from a boat intercepted during a joint operation with US forces.