WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit St. Kitts and Nevis this week as the Trump administration works to maintain its focus on Western Hemisphere affairs following last month’s military action that ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from office.
While global attention centers on U.S. military preparations in the Middle East amid President Trump’s warnings against Iran, Rubio will spend Wednesday in St. Kitts participating in a Caribbean Community summit, according to State Department officials.
The Secretary of State has consistently advocated for expanded American involvement throughout the Western Hemisphere and seeks to maintain regional attention despite the administration’s current foreign policy emphasis on Iran, where U.S. forces are gathering in greater numbers than those deployed during the January 3rd Venezuelan operation that led to Maduro’s capture and removal.
Federal prosecutors have charged Maduro with collaborating with drug trafficking organizations to smuggle thousands of tons of cocaine into the United States, charges to which he has entered a not guilty plea.
President Trump’s military intervention against Maduro, combined with intensified efforts to combat drug smuggling and unauthorized immigration, has created unease among several regional nations, though some smaller countries have expressed approval for these measures.
The President, Secretary Rubio, and other officials have compared their Western Hemisphere approach to the Monroe Doctrine, emphasizing American dominance while rejecting foreign interference in what they describe as the United States’ sphere of influence.
President Trump has characterized his removal of Maduro, along with military attacks on suspected drug-trafficking ships in Caribbean waters, confiscation of sanctioned oil vessels, and strengthened Cuban embargo measures, as essential components of his modern interpretation of the 19th-century policy, which he calls the “Donroe Doctrine.”
Through various group discussions and one-on-one meetings during the CARICOM gathering, Rubio plans to explore opportunities for strengthening regional security, stability, commerce, and economic development, the State Department announced Monday.
“During his visit, the Secretary will reaffirm the United States’ commitment to working with CARICOM member states to enhance stability and prosperity in our hemisphere,” the department stated.
