Four leaders, three countries, and one busy secretary of state. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up a swing through Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru yesterday as the Trump administration looks to turn political alignment with new governments in Latin America into regional cooperation on security, counternarcotics, and trade concessions. Already, there are asks and offers on the table, from requests for tariff relief by the two new administrations in Bogotá and Lima to new US security assistance and terrorist designations for regional gangs.
Jason Marczak – In his fifth trip to the region as secretary of state, Rubio’s first stop in Barranquilla, Colombia, was about advancing shared priorities and sending a clear signal that the US-Colombia relationship is back on track after years of backsliding under the previous Colombian government. Visiting the country just over one month after Abelardo de la Espriella’s inauguration, Rubio carried the message that US President Donald Trump is a “big fan” of the new Colombian president, who has made rebooting bilateral ties a cornerstone of his foreign policy.
María Sonsoles García León – Rubio’s September 9 stop in Quito was his second as secretary of state in barely twelve months. For a country of Ecuador’s size, that cadence is itself the message. Since Rubio is the administration’s principal interlocutor for Latin America, his travels signal where Washington is placing its bets, and it’s moving its chips toward Ecuador.
Martin Cassinelli – In his final stop, Rubio arrived in Peru to meet with the country’s new right-wing president, Keiko Fujimori. There, he announced that Peru will now join the Shield of the Americas, the US anti-drug coalition in Latin America, and he reiterated that the US will send a hospital ship to Peru as the country manages the consequences of the “El Niño” phenomenon, which is expected to hit later this year.
What Rubio’s Latin America tour means for Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru – Atlantic Council
Fonte: Atlantic Council
