Rubio scores key wins for Trump immigration agenda with blitz through Latin America

Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrapped up his archetypal overseas travel crossed Latin America with respective wins connected immigration, a apical precedence for President Donald Trump.

America’s caller apical diplomat returns location with a binder afloat of agreements from overseas governments connected day-one priorities to interdict human and cause trafficking – a testament to however the Trump medication wields America’s economical might. 

"I deliberation the information that his archetypal travel was to Latin America, I deliberation was a immense connection successful itself," said Joseph Humire, enforcement manager of the Center for a Secure Free Society (SFS).

Next, Rubio volition caput to the Middle East, with plans to sojourn Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia successful mid-February aft attending the Munich Security Conference. A wide swath of adjacent much challenging circumstances await him there, including concerns from overseas officials implicit Trump’s newfangled thought to "take over" the Gaza Strip, with neighboring Arab states staunchly opposed to U.S. insistence that they instrumentality successful Palestinians. 

RUBIO TO VISIT MIDDLE EAST FOR SECOND TRIP AS SECRETARY OF STATE AFTER TRUMP SUGGESTS US TAKEOVER OF GAZA

Panama agreed not to renew its Belt and Road Initiative with China aft Rubio's meeting, pictured supra with the Panamanian overseas minister.  (AP/Mark Schiefelbein)

Before the caput took disconnected for Latin America, the Trump medication had already scored respective victories. Colombia did a lightning accelerated about-face connected accepting deportation flights carrying amerciable immigrants headed location from the United States. President Gustavo Petro had initially denied 2 flights carrying Colombian nationals, saying helium would not judge the instrumentality of migrants who were not treated with "dignity and respect" and who had arrived shackled oregon connected subject planes. 

But Trump instantly threatened 25% tariffs connected Colombian goods, and Petro acquiesced to each U.S. conditions, according to the White House, including accepting migrants connected subject planes. 

Rubio past began his determination circuit successful Panama past Saturday, a federation that nervously awaited to spot what his sojourn would clasp aft Trump repeatedly called for a U.S. takeover of the Panama Canal. 

Trump had claimed the canal was fundamentally nether the power of China – Hong Kong-based firms power the ports of introduction – and charging America unfair rates aft the U.S. built the canal and gave it backmost to Panama successful a 1977 pact signed by President Jimmy Carter. 

After Rubio’s visit, Panama said it would not beryllium renewing its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China, an concern task the CCP uses to unafraid power successful processing nations crossed the world. 

"The BRI happening was immense news," said Humire. 

"There are 22 countries successful Latin America that signed a BRI agreement. If we truly propulsion hard connected this, a batch of countries, particularly the ones that are allied with us, are going to rethink" their agreements with China, helium added. 

RUBIO HEADS TO PANAMA, LATIN AMERICA TO PURSUE TRUMP'S 'GOLDEN AGE' AGENDA

Rubio had warned Panama that if its authorities did not determination to trim oregon destruct the CCP’s grip connected the canal, the U.S. would determination to bash so.

Under the canal treaties, the U.S. retains the work to support the canal if it comes nether threat. 

Rubio, pictured supra successful the Dominican Republic, Rubio had warned Panama that if its authorities did not determination to trim oregon destruct the CCP’s grip connected the canal, the U.S. would determination to bash so. ( Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via Reuters)

But Rubio deed a snag implicit a assertion that the State Department made that Panama had offered escaped transition done the canal for U.S naval vessels.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino past accused the US of spreading "lies and falsehoods" astir his federation offering the U.S. escaped passage. 

The caput past rowed backmost the claim, portion calling the charges "absurd." 

"It seems absurd that we would person to wage fees to transit a portion that we are obligated to support successful a clip of conflict," Rubio said.  "Panama has a process of laws and procedures that they request to travel arsenic it relates to the Panamanian port."

In Costa Rica, Rubio offered U.S. assistance to combat a question of cause trafficking transgression and propulsion backmost connected Chinese power by limiting CCP improvement of 5G exertion successful the country. 

Then, successful El Salvador, Rubio cinched an connection from Trump-friendly President Nayib Bukele to judge deportees of immoderate nationality, including American criminals. 

EL SALVADOR AGREES TO ACCEPT US DEPORTEES OF ANY NATIONALITY FOLLOWING MEETING WITH RUBIO

At the aforesaid time, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to nonstop 10,000 Mexican forces to the U.S. borderline aft Trump agreed to hold a threatened 25% tariff connected her nation’s exports to the U.S.

Meanwhile, successful Guatemala, President Bernardo Arévalo pledged to judge 40% much deportation flights and to judge radical of different nationalities. 

"I deliberation a batch of the wins are due to the fact that of his anterior relationships with the region, his squad and, frankly, his acquisition and his knowledge," said Humire. "He’s idiosyncratic that tin prosecute them successful their connection and successful their benignant of mannerisms."

And, helium added, Latin America saw "how serious" Trump was astir deportations, watching the threats the president made to Canada, Mexico and Colombia.

Amid a stint successful El Salvador, Rubio cinched an connection from Trump-friendly President Nayib Bukele to judge deportees of immoderate nationality, including American criminals. (Mark Schiefelbein/Pool via REUTERS)

"I deliberation we could person gotten much clarity from Panama connected the canal," said Humire. "But I deliberation we met small absorption [overall]."

Rubio wasn’t the lone Trump authoritative to unafraid Latin America wins. Special envoy Ric Grenell sat down with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this week and returned location with six American hostages. The terms paid, according to Grenell, was giving the Venezuelan dictator a photograph accidental with an American diplomat for propaganda purposes. 

The Trump medication present expects deportation flights to Venezuela to resume "within 30 days," borderline czar Tom Homan told the New York Times, aft Maduro antecedently refused to judge Venezuelan nationals backmost from the U.S. 

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"He's connected a good-behavior policy," said Humire.  "[Maduro] thinks – they telephone it docket zero – they deliberation that they tin renew, benignant of restart relations with the U.S. by fundamentally being connected bully behavior, starting to steer america towards their interests."

"Grennell has to beryllium capable to get the things that we request without giving a full lot. And I deliberation helium accomplished that," Humire continued. "The photograph op, they’re going to rotation it, usage it for disinformation. But that’s a tiny concession for bringing hostages home."