Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his first overseas trip across Latin America with several wins on immigration, a top priority for President Donald Trump.
America's new top diplomat returns home with a binder full of agreements from foreign governments on day-one priorities to interdict human and drug trafficking - a testament to how the Trump administration wields America's economic might.
"I think the fact that his first trip was to Latin America, I think was a huge statement in itself," said Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS).
Next, Rubio will head to the Middle East, with plans to visit Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in mid-February after attending the Munich Security Conference. A broad swath of even more challenging circumstances await him there, including concerns from foreign officials over Trump's newfangled idea to "take over" the Gaza Strip, with neighboring Arab states staunchly opposed to U.S. insistence that they take in Palestinians.
RUBIO TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST FOR SECOND TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS US TAKEOVER OF GAZA
Before the secretary took off for Latin America, the Trump administration had already scored several victories. Colombia did a lightning fast about-face on accepting deportation flights carrying illegal immigrants headed home from the United States. President Gustavo Petro had initially denied two flights carrying Colombian nationals, saying he would not accept the return of migrants who were not treated with "dignity and respect" and who had arrived shackled or on military planes.
But Trump immediately threatened 25% tariffs on Colombian goods, and Petro acquiesced to all U.S. conditions, according to the White House, including accepting migrants on military planes.
Rubio then began his regional tour in Panama last Saturday, a nation that nervously awaited to see what his visit would hold after Trump repeatedly called for a U.S. takeover of the Panama Canal.
Trump had claimed the canal was essentially under the control of China - Hong Kong-based firms control the ports of entry - and charging America unfair rates after the U.S. built the canal and gave it back to Panama in a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter.
After Rubio's visit, Panama said it would not be renewing its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China, an investment project the CCP uses to secure influence in developing nations across the world.
"The BRI thing was huge news," said Humire.
"There are 22 countries in Latin America that signed a BRI agreement. If we really push hard on this, a lot of countries, especially the ones that are allied with us, are going to rethink" their agreements with China, he added.
RUBIO HEADS TO PANAMA, LATIN AMERICA TO PURSUE TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN AGE' AGENDA
Rubio had warned Panama that if its government did not move to reduce or eliminate the CCP's grip on the canal, the U.S. would move to do so.
Under the canal treaties, the U.S. retains the duty to defend the canal if it comes under threat.
But Rubio hit a snag over a claim that the State Department made that Panama had offered free passage through the canal for U.S naval vessels.
Panama President José Raúl Mulino then accused the US of spreading "lies and falsehoods" about his nation offering the U.S. free passage.
The secretary then rowed back the claim, while calling the charges "absurd."
"It seems absurd that we would have to pay fees to transit a zone that we are obligated to protect in a time of conflict," Rubio said. "Panama has a process of laws and procedures that they need to follow as it relates to the Panamanian port."
In Costa Rica, Rubio offered U.S. help to combat a wave of drug trafficking crime and push back on Chinese influence by limiting CCP development of 5G technology in the country.
Then, in El Salvador, Rubio cinched an offer from Trump-friendly President Nayib Bukele to accept deportees of any nationality, including American criminals.
EL SALVADOR AGREES TO ACCEPT US DEPORTEES OF ANY NATIONALITY FOLLOWING MEETING WITH RUBIO
At the same time, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to send 10,000 Mexican forces to the U.S. border after Trump agreed to delay a threatened 25% tariff on her nation's exports to the U.S.
Meanwhile, in Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo pledged to accept 40% more deportation flights and to accept people of other nationalities.
"I think a lot of the wins are because of his prior relationships with the region, his team and, frankly, his experience and his knowledge," said Humire. "He's somebody that can engage them in their language and in their kind of mannerisms."
And, he added, Latin America saw "how serious" Trump was about deportations, watching the threats the president made to Canada, Mexico and Colombia.
"I think we could have gotten more clarity from Panama on the canal," said Humire. "But I think we met little resistance [overall]."
Rubio wasn't the only Trump official to secure Latin America wins. Special envoy Ric Grenell sat down with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this week and returned home with six American hostages. The price paid, according to Grenell, was giving the Venezuelan dictator a photo opportunity with an American diplomat for propaganda purposes.
The Trump administration now expects deportation flights to Venezuela to resume "within 30 days," border czar Tom Homan told the New York Times, after Maduro previously refused to accept Venezuelan nationals back from the U.S.
"He's on a good-behavior policy," said Humire. "[Maduro] thinks - they call it agenda zero - they think that they can renew, kind of restart relations with the U.S. by basically being on good behavior, starting to steer us towards their interests."
"Grennell has to be able to get the things that we need without giving a whole lot. And I think he accomplished that," Humire continued. "The photo op, they're going to spin it, use it for disinformation. But that's a small concession for bringing hostages home."
