Rubio meets De la Espriella in Barranquilla, signs mining and nuclear energy deals

Secretary of State Marco Rubio opened a three-country Latin America tour in Barranquilla on 8 September, meeting President Abelardo de la Espriella and Foreign Minister Omar Bula to sign bilateral agreements on mining and nuclear energy. De la Espriella said the two discussed counter-narcotics security cooperation, economic ties and an expanded Colombian role in 'bulletproofing the hemisphere.' The Trump administration reaffirmed its $1 billion Plan Colombia 2.0 security-assistance commitment, and Rubio said Washington hoped to conclude separate trade deals with Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.