In an effort to bolster President Donald Trump’s increasingly unpopular agenda in Latin America and after fumbling his way through the region last year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently made a trip to visit with just three Trump-aligned leaders in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. While likely to have more of an impact than phone calls to avoid being embarrassed on the world stage, the trip was officially meant to “reaffirm the Trump Administration’s commitment to a secure, prosperous, and democratic Western Hemisphere.”
Other leaders Trump helped install through elections he interfered with, many of whom are embattled at home with a lack of support for their policies, were seemingly left off the agenda intentionally. Additionally, the White House’s backing of leaders embroiled in vast corruption scandals would likely be met with hostility on a trip meant to strengthen diplomatic relations and promote the United States as a benevolent partner.
When asked about Venezuela before leaving the Homestead Air Reserve Base in Florida, Rubio spread unfounded narratives, claiming Russia, China, and Iran “held” the fields the U.S. is taking over in the Venezuelan oil deal. He also asserted that Venezuelans are “much better off partnering with the United States.” However, that’s a position not supported by a collection of groups that include Maduro’s opposition, former U.S. presidential foreign policy advisors, and innumerable economic and geopolitical analysts from around the world.
In Colombia, Rubio stopped in Barranquilla to meet with Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula and sign an agreement that focused on critical minerals and civil nuclear cooperation between the two countries. During the signing of the memorandum, Colombian President Abelardo de La Espriella acted as a witness. The press conference after the signing ceremony focused on security centered around immigration, echoing much of Trump’s xenophobic rhetoric.
Rubio and de La Espriella ignored the growing instability in the region due to joint military operations under the guise of counternarcotics operations that many fear will be used to target opposition groups. They disregarded the loathsome reconstruction efforts after a massive earthquake struck Colombia weeks ago, which has now led to private interests, which often participate in expropriating land, taking the lead in rebuilding four regions in the country.
But in remarks to the press, Rubio was asked about Colombia’s role in the Shield of the Americas, and he enthusiastically launched into a diatribe that exposed what the military arm of Trump’s foreign policy in the region might look like. Notably, Rubio overlooked Colombia’s Constitution barring any foreign military from operating on Colombian soil without first being reviewed by the State Council. According to the Council, “no requests regarding the entry, transit, or participation of US forces” have been submitted.
“The President [de La Espreilla] has invited us to open an operations center in Medellin, for the entire region, not just Colombia,” said Rubio. “And I think that the capability that exists in Colombia’s security system is enormous; it’s incredible. That hasn’t gone away.”
During an interview with José Manuel Acevedo of RCN, Rubio was asked about Cuba. He went on another rant, continuing to highlight the duplicity in his reasoning. Rubio again argued that Cubans “are not suffering” because of the U.S., but ended his statement by mentioning how the U.S. is stopping Cuba from “evading sanctions,” thus causing irreparable harm. One of his more nonsensical statements came during remarks to the press, alleging the oil Venezuela “gave” to Cuba was also “stolen” by Cuba.
Rubio then made a stop in Quito, Ecuador, to meet with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. In that meeting, they allegedly discussed counternarcotics operations, drug trafficking networks, rules for maritime drug interdiction, and extradition rules. In remarks to the press at the U.S. embassy in Quito, Rubio was peppered with questions about the bombing of civilian boats in Ecuadorian waters and about an investigative report uncovering that an attack on three boats was determined to be a covert CIA operation.
“I can tell you that we have – we – but I’m not talking about that incident,” said Rubio. “In general, we haven’t hidden the fact that we are going to go after narco-trafficking boats. We’ve been doing it now for over a year, and now the difference is that we’re doing it in collaboration and in cooperation with – working alongside countries in the region, in their territorial waters.”
As if that wasn’t enough duplicity for one day, when asked if he had spoken with President Daniel Noboa about fishermen being caught up in the counternarcotics strikes and being killed, Rubio dismissed the question while also including “illegal” fishermen as legitimate targets. While the Trump administration has denied that it is targeting fishermen in its drone strikes, Rubio clarified that the U.S. military, under direction from the White House, is targeting fishermen.
“I mean, I didn’t discuss it with him,” Rubio said about the fisherman being killed. “I think at the end of the day these are joint operations. We’re conducting them in coordination with them. And as I said, our goal is not to go after fishermen; our goal is to go after drug traffickers,” Rubio continued. “Our goal is to go after drug boats. Our goal is to go after illegal fishing and stop those from going out there. There are – there is illegal fishing. They’re raping the Galapagos.”
Later, Rubio was awarded the Grand Cross by President Noboa for “his distinguished services and his strengthening of the links of friendship, cooperation between the Republic of Ecuador and the United States of America.” During the event, Noboa focused on Latin America’s shared culture, echoing Rubio’s recolonization speech in Germany earlier this year. The same rationalization is used by various far-right groups that highlight the Eurocentric shared cultures in the region from a colonized perspective, overlooking the diversity across the hemisphere.
“[Marco Rubio] has led very differently of what’s normal,” Noboa said. “That makes him to have a good relation of the United States to the world and highlights also his roots and the connection with Latin America.”
Rubio ended his trip to Ecuador by meeting Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Roberto Kury, followed by joint remarks to the press. Kury concluded the meeting by telling Rubio, “Be confident that in us you will find a country that is a loyal ally, an active ally, and a decisive ally to be able to build a safer hemisphere, a free hemisphere, and a prosperous hemisphere.” Meanwhile, as Rubio ignores Noboa’s potential direct ties to drug trafficking into Europe, he emphasized going after “corrupt officials that collaborate and conspire with these terrorists.”
“We’ll be announcing the designation of seven former members of the government here, officials, for accepting bribes and for betraying their most essential duties on behalf of – and they did this on behalf of these terrorist organizations, these dangerous criminal groups,” Rubio said.
It’s worth noting that not only did Rubio equate illegal fishing with drug cartel activity, but he also attempted to link “left-wing groups” with terrorism while in Quito. When asked if the U.S. partnership with Ecuador and the accusations of human rights abuses, along with the U.S. relationship with other problematic leaders, such as Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele and his human rights abuses, will undermine the goodwill, he responded by attacking leftists.
“Ecuador is going to get attacked by left-wing groups that have ties to terrorists,” Rubio said. “These groups – you know the brutal – the real human rights violations happening in this part of the world is on behalf of narcoterrorists and this web of narcoterrorists who, like – they cut people’s heads off; they decapitate people … “How did all these criminal gangs get in here? In collaboration with whom? With the left, with the leftist movement,” Rubio continued.
After leaving Ecuador, Rubio landed in Peru to meet with its president, Keiko Fujimori, and Peru’s Foreign Minister Carlos Espa. The meetings were expected to be much the same, with a focus on regional trade agreements and mineral supply chains, while espousing more “security” propaganda about the region. During a press conference, Rubio announced that Peru is joining the Shield of the Americas.
While Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espá awarded Rubio Peru’s Order of the Sun, the nation’s highest honor, Peru is arguably the most politically unstable country in the hemisphere (nine presidents in ten years). It seems Rubio and the White House are hoping the Fujimori presidency lasts more than a year to maintain its relationship with the United States. With all the bluster targeting leftists and equating progressive ideas with international criminal networks, we can not ignore the vast corruption in the White House and among many of the leaders who are aligning with the U.S.
In addition to Noboa being an alleged drug trafficker, de La Espriella also has ties to various criminal networks, as he defended many of their cases in court. While Rubio claims the U.S.’s intentions are to tackle drug cartels, one can not overlook how Trump pardoned multiple traffickers in just his first two years of this second term, one of whom is the former President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, who was convicted of smuggling hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States. This should not be ignored.
Note: Many of the press releases surrounding Rubio’s trip were released late at night in what journalists often call a “news dump.” The idea is to bury these stories behind bigger news, such as the Republican Convention in Dallas. Independent journalists like me were not, and are rarely ever, duped by this notoriously failed public relations strategy.
I am an independent freelance journalist and stroke survivor trying to support my family. I have written hundreds of articles on policing, immigration, race, and Latin America. To support my work, become a paid subscriber or donate via Venmo, PayPal, or Cash App.
I think he is more dangerous than we give credit. I still don't understand how he ever got approved.
WHAT RIGHT DOES THE USA MARCO RUBIO HAVE TO ANNOUNCE IT IS KILLING ALLEDGED ILLEGAL FISHERMEN IN ECUADOR?
The USA secretary of state Marco Rubio admitted or claimed that the USA military and or the CIA is targeting and killing fishermen alledgedly fishing illegally.
Are USA senators John Thune and Chuck Schumer and Chuck Grassley and Joni Earnst OK with killing fishermen on boats in another country?
No declaration of war? No trials. No convictions. No appeals. No death penalty sentence by a USA judge.....
Just the death penalty murder of people not identified by name.....
USA representatives Mike Johnson and Hakeem Jeffries and Marianne Miller Meeks and Eric Severeid have not introduced any articles of impeachment......have they?