U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella and hailed enhanced and expanded cooperation between the two nations. He is among a new generation of right-wing conservatives who are winning elections and showing support for Trump’s muscular approach in a region that had tilted leftward in recent decades.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a bilateral agreements signing ceremony in Barranquilla, Colombia, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, Pool)
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio meets with reporters in Barranquilla, Colombia, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, Pool)
Colombian President Abelardo De La Espriella, left, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio embrace during a bilateral agreements signing ceremony in Barranquilla, Colombia, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, Pool)
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Ecuador on Wednesday on the second leg of a three-nation tour of South America aimed at boosting security cooperation with conservative leaders who have cozied up to President Donald Trump, especially in the administration’s push to crack down on drug trafficking.
