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Marco Rubio, in his dual role as Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, delivered the opening speech at the 2026 Conference of Chiefs of Mission on Tuesday, organized by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) at its headquarters in Doral, Florida, with the aim of coordinating hemispheric strategy against narco-terrorism and the influence of adversarial powers.
The event, scheduled from May 5 to May 7, brings together high-ranking officials from the U.S. government, heads of diplomatic missions from U.S. embassies across the region, and leaders from the Department of Defense, under the slogan "Peace through Strength," which has historically been associated with Ronald Reagan and adopted by the Trump administration.
SOUTHCOM described the purpose of the conference as "advancing the goals of the National Security Strategy in the hemisphere, including collaborative efforts to combat narcoterrorism and prevent adversaries from gaining a presence in the region."
Mike Hammer, the head of the U.S. mission in Cuba, also participated in the 2026 Conference of Heads of Mission. He represents Washington's diplomatic interests on the island and closely monitors the political and bilateral situation.
Rubio arrives at this conference with an unusual power profile in U.S. foreign policy.
Since April, he has held the positions of Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, a concentration that, according to TIME magazine, had only been previously held by Henry Kissinger.
This accumulation of power has allowed him to become the principal architect of Trump's hemispheric policy.
The capture of Nicolás Maduro in January, brought to a federal court in New York on charges of narco-terrorism, was seen as his greatest strategic victory to date.
After that operation, Rubio outlined a three-phase plan for the Venezuelan transition: stabilization through the sale of up to 50 million barrels of crude oil, economic recovery with Western companies, and finally, free elections.
In parallel, SOUTHCOM has intensified its regional operations. Operation Southern Spear and Operation Absolute Resolve have succeeded in achieving a 30% reduction in cartel movements, according to data from the command itself.
The Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, formed in early May, now comprises 18 nations following the inclusion of Chile, and Ecuador conducted its first joint ground attacks this month in Latin America against cartel infrastructure.
Regarding Cuba, Rubio has maintained an equally firm stance.
In recent statements, he affirmed that he hopes "Cuba will fall soon" and that the island's system of government "needs to change", in line with the doctrine that equates the Cuban regime with a narcoterrorism organization.
The conference in Doral represents the institutional consolidation of that strategy: heads of diplomatic missions from across the region sit alongside military leaders from SOUTHCOM to coordinate a unified response under the direct leadership of Rubio, who was included this year in the TIME100 list of the most influential people in the world.
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