Secretary of State Marco Rubio's tour of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru strengthened ties with three Trump-friendly governments this week, but also exposed resistance to Washington's security agenda and its effort to counter China's influence in Latin America.
The tensions were most visible in Peru, where hundreds protested Rubio's visit and the country's decision to join the U.S.-led Shield of the Americas security coalition. Demonstrators carried signs reading "Marco Rubio out of Peru" and "No to the Shield of the Americas," Anadolu reported.
The opposition extended into Peru's political establishment. "What we can't accept is subordination or being tied to a mechanism whose ultimate purpose is unclear," left-wing Senator and former Prime Minister Mirtha Vásquez said, according to Politico.
Rubio's trip sought to capitalize on the election of conservative governments prioritizing crime and closer U.S. relations. In Colombia, President Abelardo de la Espriella welcomed what Rubio called a new "golden era" in bilateral ties. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has similarly expanded security cooperation with Washington, while Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori formally brought her country into Shield of the Americas on Thursday.
Rubio sought to address sovereignty concerns in Lima, saying Washington would not act beyond what partner governments requested. "We're not going to do anything that our partners don't ask us to do," he said.
China emerged as another source of friction. Beijing is Peru's largest trading partner and has substantial economic interests in Colombia and Ecuador. Rubio criticized Chinese-backed projects in Peru as threatening transparency, while critics warned against jeopardizing relations with Beijing to align with Washington.
China's embassy in Peru responded before Rubio's arrival, saying Latin American countries have the "sovereign right to freely choose their partners."
"The Western Hemisphere is no one's 'backyard,'" the embassy said.
El Partido Comunista de China es un partido que trabaja por el bienestar del pueblo chino y por la revitalización de la nación china, y que también trabaja por el progreso de la humanidad.
— Embajada de China en el Perú (@ChinaEmbPeru) September 9, 2026
China nunca ha actuado con cálculos geopolíticos, nunca ha interferido en los asuntos… pic.twitter.com/9ALBkE1tIk
The divide is also reflected in public opinion. An AmericasBarometer survey published last week showed respondents in all three countries had greater trust in the Chinese government than in the U.S. administration. "The election of pro-Trump leaders is clearly not enough to move the needle in U.S.-China competition," former U.S. official Benjamin Gedan told Politico.
