Objectives of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s Visit to Central America

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently embarked on a tour of five Central American countries and the Caribbean, marking his first international trip since taking office. He began the tour in Panama, where he discussed President Trump’s demands regarding the return of the Panama Canal to U.S. control and addressed the increasing Chinese influence in the canal, as it disrupts American economic and trade interests, negatively impacting U.S. national security. Rubio continued his trip to El Salvador to strengthen nuclear partnership initiatives. The tour also included Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic to enhance joint efforts to address the illegal immigration crisis and combat drug trafficking affecting the United States.

Visit Objectives

Several key objectives motivated Secretary Rubio’s visit to Central America and the Caribbean, the most significant of which include:

Reinforcing the Importance of the Region to the Trump Administration: Rubio’s visit to Central America reflects his active role in emphasizing President Trump’s principle of prioritizing the region, a stance that he adopted during his first term and continues in his second. Notably, Rubio broke with the common practice of newly appointed secretaries starting their international tours in allied nations; instead, he chose five Central American countries. This choice was deliberate, as these nations are significant sources of illegal immigrants seeking entry into the U.S. to pursue their dreams.

Enhancing Cooperation to Combat Drug Trafficking: A goal of Rubio’s visit was to establish cooperation with Central American nations in combating drug trafficking that crosses U.S. borders from Canada and Mexico, contributing to the fentanyl crisis and other substance abuse problems in the U.S. He received a commitment from Panamanian President José Raúl Molino to assist Washington in its campaign against drug smuggling.

Deepening Joint Efforts on Immigration: The primary aim of the visit appears to be reinforcing cooperative efforts to address the illegal immigration crisis faced by the U.S., especially as these countries are major sources of undocumented immigrants. Rubio secured an agreement with Panama allowing for the deportation of illegal migrants traveling to the U.S. through Panama, demonstrating Panama’s commitment to bolstering its cooperation with Washington and fostering positive relations with President Trump and his administration.

Implementing Trump’s Demands for the Return of the Panama Canal: A central topic of discussion during Rubio’s visit to Panama was Trump’s demand that the Panama Canal be returned to U.S. control, as it was prior to 1977, due to its strategic importance. Approximately 72% of all American vessels transit through the canal, and Washington has concerns about increased Chinese investments that could jeopardize its interests there. However, the Panamanian president rejected this proposal and refused to negotiate ownership of the canal.

Pressuring Panama to Halt Trade Activities with China: Rubio aimed to pressure Panama to curb its commercial activities with China, warning that Trump might resort to using force to regain control of the canal. The Panamanian president responded to these threats by committing to end a major development agreement with China and not renewing the 2017 memorandum of understanding to join the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.

Countering Chinese Influence in Latin America: Rubio’s visit underscores the U.S. desire to strengthen its influence in the Western Hemisphere to mitigate China’s growing presence in Latin America, particularly in Panama, where Chinese investments have surged in recent years. Notably, China signed a $900 million deal in 2016 to acquire Margarita Island and has engaged in contracts related to infrastructure in various sectors in Panama. Washington views these substantial investments with concern and aims to improve relations with this region to counter China.

Establishing a Civil Nuclear Partnership with El Salvador: Rubio’s objective during his visit to El Salvador was to cultivate a nuclear partnership between Washington and San Salvador. This was accomplished through the signing of a memorandum of understanding on strategic cooperation in civil nuclear matters with his Salvadoran counterpart, Alexander Hill Tinoco. This memorandum represents a step toward a strong civil nuclear partnership that could enhance energy security and foster economic prosperity while promoting peaceful nuclear cooperation and the highest safety standards.

Signing an Agreement with El Salvador on Immigration: Rubio sought to persuade El Salvador to cooperate with Washington in hosting some undocumented migrants within its territory. He successfully secured Salvadoran agreement to accept migrants from the U.S., including convicted violent offenders. This agreement marks an unprecedented and exceptional approach to immigration on a global scale.

Avoiding Risks

In conclusion, Secretary Marco Rubio’s visit yielded significant outcomes, as it led to commitments from Latin American countries to work with Washington to address the issues of illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The exceptional agreement with El Salvador regarding the acceptance of undocumented migrants serves as evidence of these nations’ responsiveness to Trump’s demands, perhaps to avoid facing tariffs similar to those imposed on China, Canada, and Mexico. Tariffs represent Trump’s ultimate weapon against any nation opposing his requests, prompting these countries to seek to establish favorable relations with him.