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Rubio, who has already traveled to Latin America and the
Caribbean twice and to Canada this year, will return to the
region to discuss Trump administration priorities, including
stemming illegal migration, combating organized crime and drug
cartels, and countering what the U.S. believes is malign Chinese
behavior in its backyard.
Rubio’s “fourth trip to our hemisphere demonstrates the United
States’ unwavering commitment to protect its borders, neutralize
narco-terrorist threats to our homeland, and ensure a level
playing field for American businesses,” the State Department
said Thursday.
Rubio's first foreign trip as secretary of state was to Panama,
El Salvador, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic, during which
he assailed Chinese influence over the Panama Canal and sealed
deals with the others to accept immigrant deportees from the
United States. The agreement with El Salvador, which could
include deporting U.S. citizens, is still being contested in
federal courts.
Rubio later traveled to Jamaica, Guyana and Suriname.
A senior State Department official said virtually every country
in Latin America is now accepting the return of their nationals
being deported from the U.S. and, with the exception of
Nicaragua, most have stepped up their actions against drug
cartels, many of which have been designated foreign terrorist
organizations by the U.S.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview
details about what will be private diplomatic conversations,
also said progress has been made in countering China in the
Western Hemisphere, including steps taken by Panama to reclaim
control of canal port facilities by Chinese companies and
removing itself from China's Belt and Road development
initiative.
The official said Ecuador is starting to try to extricate itself
from the Belt and Road scheme but is already saddled by what he
termed “predatory” debt to China.
Rubio will be in Mexico City and Quito from Tuesday to Thursday,
the State Department said.
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