In preparation for his five-nation tour of Central America beginning Feb. 1, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has come out swinging, announcing that his primary goal is “to counter China,” not only in the countries he will visit but also throughout all of Ibero-America. This is the region where China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), infrastructure-building projects, investment and productive trade relations have been welcomed by many nations. Were Trump to cooperate with China in this development perspective, his ability to tackle the priorities he identifies—the drug trade and immigration—would be greatly enhanced by a collaborative relationship with China in the region.
But what Rubio outlined instead as Trump’s priorities in an opinion piece published in the Wall Street Journal today and in an interview with Megyn Kelly of the Megyn Kelly Show, at the State Department reveal an approach based on confrontation, threats and bullying whose attempt to drive China out of the region will blow up in Trump’s face by strengthening regional hatred against the U.S. and make it impossible to implement his policy goals.
Rubio’s first stop will be in Panama, followed by Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic. Except for Guatemala, which has not yet broken with Taiwan, the other three have close ties to China, including participation in the BRI. Trump has already set up a confrontation with Panama vowing to “take back” the Panama Canal because of China’s alleged “control” over it. Rubio told Megyn Kelly that China “is all over Panama,” and now has the ability to close down the Canal or obstruct traffic whenever it chooses. “That dynamic cannot continue … the President’s been pretty clear he wants to administer the Canal again.” Panamanian trade unionists and others who took to the streets in protest today all over the country indicated they won’t tolerate Trump’s plans.
