Rubio visits Central America during Trump's migration campaign

Rubio visits Central America during Trump's migration campaign

The US Foreign Minister Marco Rubio will arrive in Panama on Saturday as the top Diplomat of the United States. This journey will put on the test whether he succeeds in building up to President Donald Trump's conflict-resistant and transaction-oriented “America” foreign policy, especially in the field of migration.

Rubios Visit to Central America

Rubios decision to visit Central America - including Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic - has been deliberately taken to drive the Trumpa agenda and pay more attention to the neighborhood. Migration will be a central topic during Rubios trip, especially in the context of the dramatic confrontation between Trump and the Colombian President Gustavo Petro last Sunday.

The Panama Canal in focus

Another important topic During Rubios stay in Panama city is the discussion about the Panama-Canal , from which Trump should be brought back under US control again. Rubio will also emphasize how important it is to curb China's influence in the region. However, auxiliary officials and some US official concerns express that his extensive suspension of development aid could undermine these efforts and priorities such as combating illegal migration and drug trafficking.

migration and deportations

The Trump administration has designed a strategy for Latin America that aims at the aggressive deportation policy. In recent years, the US government has sent migrants back from the Central American countries. However, the Covid 19 pandemic has led to a record of migration in the western hemisphere, whereby many people from different countries travel to the US south line.

cooperation and agreements with El Salvador

A test for administration will be how it can use her close relationship with El Salvador. US authorities are in discussions with the country to achieve an asylum agreement that would enable the United States to send asylum seekers who are not Salvadorians to El Salvador to look for protection there. This topic is also addressed in Rubios meeting with President Nayib Bukele and other official persons.

return programs in Costa Rica and Panama

In Costa Rica, Rubio will also try to expand the return measures. A topic of discussion will be a return program that aims to help people who come not only from South America, but from all over the world. Panama also plays a crucial role in the endeavor to reduce migrant traffic, especially through the Darien Gap, a dangerous jungle that connects South and Central America. According to Panama's National Migration Service, the number of migrants who crossed Panama in the first 23 days of January 2025 has dropped by 93 % compared to the previous year.

The diplomatic tensions regarding the Panama Canal

the US government and Panama concluded an agreement to combat the migrant flow of refugee by the Darien GAP last year under the former President Joe Biden. The topic of Panama Canal remains a priority for Trump administration, especially due to Trump's repeated publicly spoken-out wish to regain control of this important waterway. The President Panamas, José