Washington’s top diplomat lands in Barranquilla on first leg of three-country tour, with critical minerals, civil nuclear deals to be signed
4-MIN READ4-MINIgor Patrickin Rio de JaneiroPublished: 3:53am, 9 Sep 2026United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Colombia on Tuesday to meet President Abelardo de la Espriella, sign agreements on critical minerals and civil nuclear cooperation and take up the country’s ties to China, in the first visit by a cabinet-level US official since the Colombian leader took office a month ago.Colombia’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Chinese investment in critical infrastructure were on the agenda for the meeting, a Colombian official who was not authorised to speak publicly told the South China Morning Post.“We have a lot of common interest with them, both taking on regional transnational criminal terrorism and also economic engagements,” Rubio told reporters before the trip.
“It’s part of a trend that you’re seeing in the Western Hemisphere of alignment with US and US interests.”
