Rubio ends South America tour in Peru amid anti-drug push and protests

Lima,UPDATED: Sep 10, 2026 20:24 IST

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to wrap up his three-nation South America tour in Peru on Thursday, as President Donald Trump’s administration steps up counternarcotics and immigration efforts across the Western Hemisphere.

Rubio is expected to meet Peru’s new President Keiko Fujimori after meeting the Trump-aligned leaders of Colombia and Ecuador, as Washington seeks closer cooperation on fighting drug traffickers and reducing illegal migration.

Trump and Rubio have especially pushed for the Western Hemisphere to take a tougher stand on what they describe as "narcoterrorism", including military strikes against alleged drug traffickers. From unilateral US action against suspected drug boats in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean to joint operations mainly with Ecuador in its territorial waters, US forces have this week stopped and taken out three vessels they say were transporting narcotics.

The Trump administration has brought together a coalition of like-minded countries in Latin America for joint military operations against drug cartels. Colombia recently joined under new President Abelardo de la Espriella, and Peru could be next under Fujimori.

Like the leaders of Colombia and Ecuador, Fujimori has made fighting crime a priority in Peru, especially offences such as extortion and murder. Official data shows reports of extortion rose from 2,421 in 2019 to 26,734 in 2025.

At the end of August, Peru declared a 60-day state of emergency in Lima and the port of Callao because of rising crime and set up a committee of officials to coordinate the police. It also declared a state of emergency in five prisons in an effort to control access and prevent escapes.

Before the meeting between Rubio and Fujimori, Peruvian Foreign Minister Carlos Espa said the two sides hoped to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties, especially on issues of "security and defence and the fight against transnational organised crime, which is so damaging to our country."

According to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, Peru is one of the world’s leading producers of cocaine. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says it is the second-largest cultivator of coca leaf, the raw material for cocaine, after Colombia.

The Trump administration has kept its focus on the Western Hemisphere even as it has launched a war against Iran. Trump has repeatedly spoken of reviving the 19th century Monroe Doctrine, asserting US primacy in the Americas with an emphasis on drugs, migration and countering growing Chinese influence in the region.

China’s Embassy in Peru said on Tuesday that the "Western Hemisphere is nobody’s backyard" in a statement issued on the eve of Rubio’s visit, though it did not mention him by name. China said Latin American countries have the "sovereign right to freely choose their partners" and expressed willingness to work with Peru and other countries in the region.

Peru also has a long history of dealing with left-wing insurgencies and still has many people who are sympathetic to such causes. As Rubio arrived in Lima late on Wednesday, hundreds of people protested in the city, chanting "Yankees out of Peru", while members of the Communist Party waved red flags and held a banner with Rubio’s face.

"Marco Rubio arrived in Peru today, and what he wants is for Peru to be his colony," Carmen Espinoza told The Associated Press. "That’s why we’re here protesting, rejecting the visit of an enemy of Peru." Another protester, Soledad Lozano, said Peru "is not the backyard of any country in the world" and argued that Peruvians should decide "with whom we ally ourselves and what agreements we make." The demonstration was peaceful and was monitored by police officers seeking to prevent any disturbance.

Rubio’s Peru visit has brought together the main strands of the Trump administration’s regional policy, including pressure for stronger anti-drug action, closer security ties with conservative-led governments and a wider contest over influence in Latin America.

With PTI Inputs

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