Rubio ends South America swing with Peru security talks
The US secretary of state deepened cooperation with a new bloc of conservative governments and pressed the fight against regional drug cartels.
Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, as the two nations deepen cooperation and address regional security concerns. Rubio's visit to Peru wraps up a whirlwind tour of Latin America, focusing on combatting drug cartels and terrorist organizations. In Ecuador, Rubio announced Los Tiguerones, a powerful criminal gang, will be designated a terrorist organization, severing its ties to the US financial system.
This decision follows similar designations against Ecuadorian gangs, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua, and Mexico's Sinaloa cartel. The US has consistently labeled these groups as terrorists, emphasizing the severity of their threat. Rubio stressed that failing to confront these organizations would enable them to dominate the countries they infiltrate.
The tour reflects a broader trend as conservative governments in the region seek closer ties with Washington, reflecting the Trump administration's strategy to counter China, Russia, and Iran's influence in Latin America.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- China rebuts top US diplomat Marco Rubio over ‘Communist Party-backed projects’ in Peru scmp.com
- Rubio ends South America swing with Peru security talks freemalaysiatoday.com
- Marco Rubio and the Shield of the Americas, with Adam Isacson colombiareports.com
