Rubio Backs Colombia's New Leader on Security and Drug Fight
Rubio meets Colombia's president, pledges security cooperation and signs mining agreements on first leg of South America tour.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened a three-nation tour of Latin America on Tuesday in Barranquilla, Colombia, where he met with President Abelardo de la Espriella and offered firm backing for the new leader's security agenda.
Rubio praised the enhanced cooperation between Washington and Bogotá, emphasizing that both countries face the same criminal networks and drug trafficking threats. "A country cannot progress without security," he said, adding that the most important function of any government is protecting its people.
President de la Espriella, who has aligned with former President Donald Trump's tough stance on drugs and migration, said the two nations were resuming a historic relationship that had been interrupted for four years. "When the United States and Colombia have worked together, the only things our peoples have experienced are progress, security, and development," he stated.
The Colombian leader promised to resume fumigating coca crops, target drug labs, and apprehend kingpins. Rubio noted that Colombian authorities had not requested direct U.S. military intervention but sought other forms of assistance.
During the visit, Rubio and Colombian Foreign Minister Omar Bula signed mining agreements. The trip will continue to Ecuador and Peru, both of which share Trump's hardline positions on drug trafficking and migration. The tour reflects Washington's push to expand its influence in the Western Hemisphere, boost energy ties, and curb illegal migration.