Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Central America on his first overseas trip this weekend as he aims to tackle illegal immigration and reinforcing the Trump administration's push to reclaim U.S. control over the Panama Canal.
Newsweek has reached out to the U.S. Department of State via online email form for comment.
Why It Matters
Rubio's decision to prioritize Latin America over the traditional first stops in Europe or Asia signals the White House's intent to refocus foreign policy, homing in on the region as immigration remains on the forefront of President Donald Trump's agenda.
Trump has made immigration a central theme of his presidential campaign and Americans largely support his mass deportation plans.
A New York Times/Ipsos poll, carried out from January 2 to 10, found 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported "Deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records." Large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the immigration system is broken.
Rubio's arrival in the region follows recent tensions on immigration specifically with Colombia as a dispute between the two countries erupted, when the U.S. threatened to level tariffs against Bogotá after the country turned back U.S. military aircraft carrying deported citizens.
What To Know
While Rubio's itinerary also includes visits to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, the visit is expected to focus on mass migration, drug cartels, and policies from Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela as ongoing threats to stability, Rubio said in an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal on Friday.
"It's no accident that my first trip abroad as secretary of state will keep me in the hemisphere," Rubio wrote in his op-ed.
In addition, Rubio said he aims to warn against China, which he accused of leveraging diplomatic and economic influence in Latin America, particularly through its investments in the Panama Canal.
"All the while, the Chinese Communist Party uses diplomatic and economic leverage — such as at the Panama Canal—to oppose the U.S. and turn sovereign nations into vassal states," the secretary of state wrote.
Concerns over the Panama Canal came after Trump threatened to reclaim the Panama Canal, a major maritime trade hub, over what the president called excessive charges on the U.S., sparking backlash from the country that has controlled the canal for more than a quarter of a century.
Meanwhile, a protest has already been seen in Panama ahead of Rubio's arrival, according to the Canadian Press, stating a protest erupted on Friday.
Panama's Pushback
According to the U.S. Department of State, Rubio's first stop will be Panama where President José Raúl Mulino has already made it clear there is no room for negotiations over the canal's ownership.
"The canal belongs to Panama," Mulino stated on Thursday, while expressing hope that the visit would instead focus on shared concerns like migration and narcotics trafficking.
Despite Mulino's stance, Rubio intends to press the issue, citing growing concerns over China's presence at both the Pacific and Caribbean entrances to the canal.
In a recent interview with SiriusXM's Megyn Kelly, Rubio emphasized that Trump's push to regain control is rooted in national security. "We're going to address that topic," Rubio said. "The president's been pretty clear he wants to administer the canal again. Obviously, the Panamanians are not big fans of that idea. That message has been brought very clear."
Beijing's involvement in Panamanian infrastructure has fueled U.S. concerns that China could obstruct traffic through the canal in a potential crisis. Rubio warned that such a move would violate the 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter, which facilitated the eventual transfer of control to Panama in 1999.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said in his inaugural address: "The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape, or form. And that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn't give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we're taking it back."
The Chinese Foreign Ministry's Mao Ning said Wednesday: "China has not participated in the management and operation of the canal, has never interfered in the canal's affairs, has always respected Panama's sovereignty over the canal, and recognizes the canal as a permanently neutral international waterway."
Panama President José Raúl Mulino said last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland: "We reject in its entirety everything that Mr. Trump has said. First, because it is false. And second, because the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama. The Panama Canal was not a concession or a gift from the United States."
Colombian President Gustavo Petro wrote on X, formerly Twitter, last week: "You will never see me burning a US flag or carrying out a raid to return handcuffed illegal immigrants to the US. True libertarians will never attack human freedom. We are the opposite of the Nazis."
What Happens Next
While outright American reclamation of the canal remains unlikely, some analysts suggest a middle ground could be reached as Panama is already reviewing a controversial 25-year no-bid contract granted to Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports, which operates key facilities at the canal.
A potential rebidding process could open the door for a U.S. or European company to take over operations—a move that might satisfy some of Trump's concerns, though it remains unclear whether the administration would view this as a sufficient concession.
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About the writer
Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more