The U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stated this Saturday during the Shield of the Americas summit that the participating countries “are not only allies, but friends,” emphasizing the cooperation between Washington and several Latin American governments.
During the meeting held in Miami under the regional initiative led by President Donald Trump, Rubio spoke in Spanish to thank the attending leaders and emphasize the strategic importance of the region for the current U.S. administration.
The president has made this region a priority in his administration. Many presidents have said they would do it, but he has done it, stated the head of U.S. diplomacy.
Rubio also expressed his gratitude to the 12 countries present at the meeting, highlighting the political and strategic nature of the regional alliance that Washington seeks to consolidate.
These are countries that are not only allies, but friends. They are countries that always respond when there is a need and work together with us, he pointed out.
The Secretary of State also emphasized that hemispheric cooperation still has broad areas for development, particularly in economic and security matters.
“These are countries that have a large population, significant potential, and we want to be their partner in developing those countries, their economies, and their security,” he stated during his speech.
Rubio concluded his message by thanking the cooperation among the participating governments and expressed his confidence that their joint efforts will have an impact on the future of the region.
“We will continue to work together and we will achieve very good, very important things for this region, which will make future generations thank us for the work we are doing today,” he said.
After his intervention, Trump responded humorously to the audience by commenting on his Secretary of State's speech.
"Is it better in Spanish or in English? I think it's better in Spanish. I really do. It's excellent," the leader joked.
The Americas Shield Summit brought together a dozen Latin American leaders aligned with Washington's agenda at the Trump National Doral in Miami, including Javier Milei (Argentina), Nayib Bukele (El Salvador), and Daniel Noboa (Ecuador), along with other regional heads of state.
The meeting is part of a new regional strategy promoted by the White House to coordinate actions against drug trafficking, irregular migration, and the influence of actors such as China, Russia, Iran, and Cuba in the Western Hemisphere, which Washington has described as a contemporary reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine.
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