Embassy of the United States of America to Italy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will make an official visit to Mexico and Ecuador from September 2 to 4, part of a new diplomatic push by the Trump administration aimed at strengthening strategic alliances on key issues such as the fight against drug trafficking, illegal migration, trade, and China's growing influence in the region.
In Mexico City, Rubio will meet with President Claudia Sheinbaum to advance a bilateral security agreement that would strengthen coordination in the fight against cartels, especially fentanyl trafficking, and curb the shipment of weapons to Mexico. Although there is a willingness to strengthen cooperation, the Mexican president has rejected any unilateral military action on national territory.
In Quito, the emphasis will be on "countering extracontinental malign actors," a euphemism for China's increasingly questioned role in Latin America and Ecuador's negotiations with the Asian giant, especially regarding debt.
The State Department has clarified that an agreement to manage third-country nationals is not currently being negotiated, although the issue of immigration—especially for individuals who cannot be returned to their countries of origin—remains under discussion.
This will be Rubio's fourth visit to the Western Hemisphere since taking office as Secretary of State in January 2025, underscoring the Trump administration's diplomatic approach to the region. His trip also coincides with the US military presence in the Caribbean, which has been strengthened to combat drug trafficking and send a signal of restraint against actors such as the Cartel of the Suns (Venezuela) and the Tren de Aragua.
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