Trump's Secretary of State Arrives in Colombia as US Seeks Greater Influence in Latin America

Marco Rubio arrived in Colombia to begin a Latin American tour built around a clear Washington message: the United States wants closer alignment with governments that share its conservative direction.

The US secretary of state is visiting Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, where he plans to meet leaders aligned with Washington. In Barranquilla, Rubio and Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella are expected to sign agreements on civil nuclear cooperation and critical minerals.

The visit comes as Donald Trump's administration intensifies military operations against drug trafficking and seeks to expand US influence across the Western Hemisphere. Washington is also pursuing a stronger energy position and cooperation on illegal migration. De la Espriella has adopted Trump's policies on drugs, immigration and energy, according to the report.

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We have a great deal of common interest with them, both in confronting regional transnational criminal terrorism and in economic commitments.

Rubio said the three countries shared strong interests with the United States, including confronting transnational criminal terrorism and pursuing economic commitments. He said the administration hoped to consolidate trade agreements soon, describing the visits as part of a trend toward alignment with the United States and American interests.

Asked why Venezuela was not included on the itinerary, Rubio said, "We will get there eventually," while adding that there was no time for another stop. He defended a recent oil agreement with Caracas, saying Venezuela's fields had previously been dominated by China, Russia and Iran but had not been used for production. The report said Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, had accepted US control of about one-fifth of the country's oil reserves, though many Venezuelans believe taking control of the oil was the ultimate aim of Trump's order to capture Nicolás Maduro.

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We will get there eventually.