On First Trip, Rubio to Wield Big Stick in Latin America

Protesters burn a rag doll with an US flag and the faces of US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a protest against Rubio's arrival in Panama City on January 31, 2025. MARTIN BERNETTI / AFP

By Shaun Tandon

Traditionally, when U.S. secretaries of state make their international debuts, they travel to major U.S. allies and offer bromides about working together.

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