The Albany Gazette - Rubio ends South America swing with Peru security talks

Rubio arrived in Lima after stops in Colombia and Ecuador, where he welcomed closer coordination against criminal gangs that Washington now describes as terrorist organizations.

In Peru, Rubio will meet new President Keiko Fujimori and make joint statements to the press.

The visit comes after Peru joined the "Shield of the Americas," a US-led coalition promoted by President Donald Trump to combat drug trafficking and organized crime across the region.

Peru, one of the world's largest cocaine producers, has faced a sharp deterioration in public security in recent years.

The number of homicides in the country of 34 million has risen markedly since 2018, while international drug trafficking networks continue to operate on its territory.

Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espa said security and preparations for the El Nino weather phenomenon were the country's two main priorities for Rubio's visit.

In Quito on Wednesday, Rubio announced that Los Tiguerones, one of Ecuador's most powerful criminal gangs, would be designated a terrorist organization by Washington, cutting it off from the US financial system.

The United States has already applied similar designations to other Ecuadorian gangs, Venezuela's Tren de Aragua and Mexico's Sinaloa cartel.

"We're not talking about an ordinary mafia, we're talking about terrorists," Rubio told reporters.

"If you don't do something against these groups, they will devour these countries whole."

The tour reflects a broader shift in regional politics as a string of right-wing governments seek closer ties with Washington.

It also highlights the Trump administration's effort to counter the influence of China, Russia and Iran in Latin America.

Ahead of Rubio's arrival in Lima, the Chinese embassy rejected suggestions that the region was anyone's "backyard" and defended Beijing's cooperation with Latin American countries.

(K.Lee--TAG)