Rubio to visit Colombia, Ecuador, Peru to strengthen US partnerships

Mariam Ashalem De Andres

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru from Sept. 8-10 to strengthen key US partnerships in the Western Hemisphere, the State Department said Friday.

Rubio will meet with Colombia’s new government, led by President Abelardo De La Espriella, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and Peru’s new government, led by President Keiko Fujimori, according to a statement by State Department spokesman Thomas Pigott.

The talks will focus on US support for Colombia’s earthquake response, enhanced cooperation in the fight against narcoterrorism and the benefits of deeper commercial ties between the three countries and the US.

The visit comes as Washington seeks to expand cooperation with Latin American governments on security and trade, with combating drug trafficking and organized crime becoming a growing focus of US regional policy.

The State Department said the secretary’s trip will reaffirm the Trump administration’s commitment to a “secure, prosperous, and democratic Western Hemisphere.”

Colombia recently joined the Coalition Against Cartels of the Americas (A3C), a Trump administration-backed alliance to combat drug trafficking and organized crime in the region. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said De La Espriella authorized joint US-Colombian counter-narcotics operations on Colombian soil.

Colombia, Ecuador and Peru are considered key partners in Washington’s efforts to address illicit drug networks and other security threats across the region, with the Trump administration seeking closer coordination with governments that share its priorities on regional security.

Rubio is also expected to discuss security cooperation with Noboa, as Washington and Quito have carried out joint counter-narcotics operations in Ecuador over the past year.