Rubio Brings a Tough Trump Message to Latin America

Marco Rubio’s choice of Latin America for his first trip abroad as top US diplomat reinforces two of President Donald Trump’s priorities early in his second term — deportations and securing the Panama Canal from perceived Chinese control.

The senator-turned-secretary of state leaves Saturday with additional stops on the six-day tour in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.

It’s the first time the region has been chosen for a top US diplomatic envoy’s maiden trip in more than a century. Secretaries typically visit allies like Japan or Germany, while Rubio’s predecessor, Antony Blinken, spent ...