MEXICO CITY, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio came to South America on Sept. 8-10 talking mostly about drugs, crime and security. He left behind an agenda that reached much further.
Across Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, Rubio's tour touched on critical minerals, infrastructure and closer political ties, alongside an expanding U.S. "security role" in the region.
For analysts, the three-country trip offered a revealing look at Washington's broader strategy: using security cooperation to deepen its influence at a time of political change across South America.
The fight against organized crime was the most visible theme of Rubio's trip.
In Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, he called for closer cooperation against drug trafficking and groups Washington describes as "narcoterrorists."
Fernando Romero Wimer, a professor at Brazil's Federal University for Latin American Integration, said the language itself matters.
"The militarization is already underway," he said, arguing that recasting drug trafficking as terrorism could expand the legal and operational room for U.S. involvement in the region.
Cristina Pecequilo, a professor of international relations at the Federal University of Sao Paulo, said the approach has clear precedents, from Plan Colombia to the Merida Initiative.
Security cooperation can also create leverage beyond the fight against crime, said Luis Ricardo Delgado, a professor at Venezuela's University of Carabobo.
"Security cooperation does not automatically produce development," he said. "What it produces is strategic dependence. And that dependence then conditions the sovereign decisions of each country."
Rubio's agenda also extended into sectors with longer-term strategic importance. In Colombia, for example, the two sides discussed cooperation on strategic minerals.
"The United States does not care if emerging countries continue selling appliances, clothes, toys or even vehicles in the region," said Delgado. "They are focused on critical infrastructure, cutting-edge technologies and strategic natural resources."
He described the approach as part of the "Donroe Doctrine," a modified version of the Monroe Doctrine promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump to pursue U.S. primacy in the Western Hemisphere.
Romero Wimer made a similar argument, saying security cooperation can also become a tool for exerting pressure over ports, infrastructure and other strategic projects. ■