Trump’s Secretary of State is headed for Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. Here’s a primer on the countries he’ll see and what’s at stake

Rubio is expected to visit Panama, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, according to the Department of State

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is heading to Central America on Monday in what is his first oversees trip since being confirmed as the top U.S. diplomat.

Former U.S. senator from Florida Marco Rubio jumps into new role as secretary of state with flurry of phone calls, planned trip to Panama.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will likely travel to Central America in the first week of February, a source familiar with the planning said.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have been rising for some time now, and Rubio's appointment has widely been seen as a sign that Trump plans to maintain a hard line on China during his second term. One of the most outspoken China hawks in Washington, Rubio has introduced several bills targeting the Chinese Communist Party.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is paying much-needed attention to Latin America.. But his mission statement has key omissions

The new Secretary of State already has said the Hong Kong-based operator of Panama Canal-adjacent ports could be a “big national security and defense problem.”

The directive follows President Donald Trump’s executive order Monday pausing new obligations and disbursements of foreign aid pending review.

Munilo told reporters that the David and Goliath fight that Trump has pushed is a non-starter. Panama fought for years to get access to the canal, he said. The territory is neutral, he added, and has remained so through international conflicts well before Trump’s presidency.

While Rubio’s anti-China rhetoric aligns with Washington’s broader geopolitical goals, the tools at his disposal are insufficient to match Beijing’s economic engagement.