From June 23 to 25, 2026, the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies conducted the Countering Hybrid Threats mobile course in coordination with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Defense (MIDE) and the National Defense University “General Juan Pablo Duarte y Díez” (UNADE) in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, bringing together 42 participants from the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Defense, National Police, and Ministry of Foreign Relations. US Ambassador to the Dominican Republic Leah Francis Campos and Dominican Minister of Defense Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre inaugurated the course, emphasizing the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation to counter transnational organized crime, cartels, and other hybrid threats that undermine regional security and stability.
The three-day program examined how hybrid threats originating from external state actors – including China, Russia, and Iran – and non-state actors such as terrorist and criminal organizations seek to weaken security, prosperity, and democratic institutions throughout the Americas in both the cyber and physical domains. The curriculum explored strategies and policies to address these challenges while supporting US national security priorities and regional initiatives, including the National Security Strategy, National Defense Strategy, and the Shield of the Americas initiative.
Perry Center Professors Celina Realuyo and Boris Saavedra directed the course with support from Dominican subject-matter experts as well as WJPC and UNADE staff. Participants examined the evolving strategic environment, the impact of transnational organized crime, the influence of extra-hemispheric actors, and hybrid threats from both Dominican and US perspectives. Discussions highlighted the convergence of criminal and terrorist networks, as well as the growing use of cyber operations, disinformation, artificial intelligence, illicit financial networks, and other emerging technologies to challenge democratic governance and regional security.
The curriculum covered countering transnational threats, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, migration and border security, territorial and maritime security, critical infrastructure protection, and strengthening institutional resilience. Faculty emphasized the importance of international cooperation, interagency coordination, and knowledge sharing to develop the strategic capabilities needed to respond effectively to emerging security challenges. The course encouraged dialogue between civilian and military professionals, strengthened collaborative relationships, and enhanced interoperability among Dominican security institutions and their US counterparts.
