The Trump Cabinet’s Visits to Latin America

March 26 to 27: Jamaica, Guyana, Suriname

Rubio’s first visit to the English-speaking Caribbean included stops in Jamaica and Guyana along with a trip to Dutch-speaking Suriname. On his two-day tour, Rubio met with the leaders of these countries as well three other leaders from the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) bloc: Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados, Stuart Young, prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, and Fritz Alphonse Jean, the head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. The discussions covered top issues on the U.S.–CARICOM agenda, including energy security, relations with Venezuela, proposed levies on Chinese shipping vessels, insecurity in Haiti, and Cuban medical missions. 

Secretary Rubio signed a Memorandum of Understanding on security cooperation with Guyana on March 27. The agreement is aimed at increasing information sharing and military cooperation as well as collaboration to combat transnational organized crime and drug trafficking, according to official statements. 

February 1 to 6: Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic

In his first trip as top diplomat, Rubio visited four Central American and one Caribbean nation, meeting with the presidents of each country. His priority? Migration. Rubio announced deals with Panama to use land in the Darien Gap for migration flights, with El Salvador to accept convicted criminals from the United States to Salvadoran prisons, and with Guatemala to accept deportation flights of Guatemalan and non-Guatemalan citizens. 

April 14 to 15: Argentina

On April 14, Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent met with President Javier Milei of Argentina, one of Latin America’s most prominent supporters of President Trump and the only foreign president seated behind Trump during his inauguration. 

Bessent expressed his “full support for bold economic reforms” that Milei has undertaken and congratulated him for the recent deal the country signed with the International Monetary Fund.

“I was excited to make this trip to begin the first formal discussions on reciprocal trade between our two countries,” Bessent said during a joint statement with the Argentinian president. Milei has been seeking to sign a free trade agreement with the United States. Bessent also met with Secretary of Economy Luis Caputo. 

April 7 to 9: Panama

On April 8, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with President José Raúl Mulino of Panama and other Panamanian government officials. Hegseth also visited the Panama Canal amid claims from President Trump that China has influence over the waterway. “China did not build this canal, China does not operate this canal, and China will not weaponize this canal,” he said during his visit. Hegseth called President Mulino a “great ally of the United States” and thanked him for strengthening the cooperation between the two countries. 

Mulino, Hegseth, and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vazquez released a joint statement during the visit. It announced U.S. warships and auxiliary ships will have expedited transit through the canal and the two countries will establish a mechanism to compensate for the tolls, so that the cost of these transits is neutral. Such mechanisms already exist.

Hegseth also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Panamanian Minister of Security Frank Abrego to collaborate more closely with Panama in security matters, including U.S. presence in three designated joint-use locations. 

March 26 to 28: El Salvador, Colombia, and Mexico

Kristi Noem, who helms U.S. agencies that manage border security and migration, did a three-country swing to promote her efforts around security and deportations. In El Salvador, she met with President Nayib Bukele and toured the CECOT facility where the Trump administration has deported migrants and permanent residents accused of crimes or gang membership. After his visit, Noem released a statement that she wanted to increase deportations and deportation flights.

In Colombia, Noem met with President Gustavo Petro and Minister of Foreign Affairs Laura Sarabia, with whom she signed an agreement to share biometric data. 

Finally, in Mexico, Noem met with President Claudia Sheinbaum. “We had a fruitful meeting with her, benefiting both Mexico and the United States. Our countries maintain a good relationship within a framework of respect for each other's sovereignty,” said Sheinbaum.