Garffer calls for increased militarization of PR amid threats from China, Russia

Public Safety Secretary Arthur Garffer

By The Star Staff

As China and Russia ramp up their activities in the Caribbean and Latin America, Puerto Rico stands out as a crucial asset for U.S. security, a government official said this week.

“Due to its geo-strategic position, Puerto Rico is essential for us to safeguard our national security and deploy our assets effectively for deterrence in the region,” Puerto Rico’s Public Safety Secretary and Homeland Security Advisor Arthur Garffer said in an interview with CBN News.

That view is not without controversy, however. Lawmakers from the Puerto Rican Independence Party have accused the New Progressive Party government of attempting to militarize the island, raising concerns about the implications of increased military presence.

Over the past decade, both China and Russia have intensified their focus on the Caribbean. China has poured billions into trade and infrastructure projects while establishing a spy base in Cuba, causing apprehension among U.S. officials. Russia, meanwhile, has adopted a bold approach marked by arms sales, military training and joint exercises.

“In recent months, significant Russian military drills took place in the Caribbean Sea, during which a nuclear submarine surfaced, carrying hypersonic missiles,” Garffer noted, underscoring the stakes involved.

Garffer, a former U.S. Army officer with National Guard, NATO and special forces service on his resume, asserts that the encroachment of adversarial nations into the Caribbean is a cause for concern.

“The southern Caribbean is increasingly under the influence of countries that aren’t necessarily friendly to the United States,” he warned.

Andrés Martínez-Fernández, a senior policy analyst with the Heritage Foundation, a right-wing U.S. think tank founded in 1973, elaborated on the implications of the growing threat.

“If China disrupts critical trade routes, the consequences could be dire for the United States, especially as tensions over Taiwan rise,” he said. “We need to critically assess what strengthening Chinese influence in our hemisphere means for our security.”

Garffer proposes that it’s time for the U.S. to fully capitalize on Puerto Rico’s strategic location.

“We have two deep-sea ports -- one on the eastern coast and one on the southern side -- along with some of the longest military runways in the Caribbean,” he pointed out. “These facilities can be utilized to project power and deter aggression from Russia and China.”

The island’s public safety chief believes that enhancing those facilities is a dual benefit -- bolstering both national security and local safety.

“With drug trafficking, violent extremist groups, and transnational criminal networks becoming more agile, they may shift their operations to exploit vulnerabilities,” Garffer said. “Puerto Rico could become a new entry point into the United States.”

As the Heritage Foundation prepares to release a new report on Puerto Rico, Martínez-Fernández, sees a critical opportunity to transform the U.S. island territory into a vital national security asset.

“Puerto Rico can play a significant role in our security strategy, especially with new leadership on the island and potentially a second Trump administration,” he said. “This is a pivotal moment to make the most of that opportunity.”