Rubio to Meet Leaders in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio toured Colombia, Ecuador and Peru to deepen security, economic and diplomatic ties with their conservative governments and counter China’s regional influence. During the visit, Peru announced it would join the U.S.-led Shield of the Americas coalition for intelligence-sharing and joint operations against drug cartels, while Colombia also joined. Rubio said Washington would increasingly work with regional partners and their laws but maintained that U.S. forces could destroy suspected trafficking vessels when necessary. In Colombia, he discussed trade, drug trafficking, transnational crime, earthquake recovery, civil nuclear cooperation and critical minerals with President Abelardo de la Espriella; the tour also highlighted unresolved concerns over China’s role, including its operation of Peru’s Chancay port, and regional criticism that closer security ties could threaten national sovereignty.