Overview

• Washington confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Mexico and Ecuador from Sept. 2–4, with a Mexico City stop centered on security, migration and trade.
• President Claudia Sheinbaum set Sept. 3 for meetings with Rubio, saying the talks will close a bilateral security understanding built on sovereignty, territoriality, mutual trust and cooperation.
• State Department spokespeople said priorities include dismantling cartels, stopping fentanyl trafficking, ending illegal immigration, reducing the U.S. trade deficit and countering extracontinental malign actors.
• Sheinbaum rejected DEA’s announced ‘Proyecto Portero’ and a larger U.S. operational role, stressing joint work only through the State Department; U.S. officials signaled no major formal signing is expected.
• The framework under discussion features joint investigations into fentanyl precursors and steps to curb U.S. arms flowing to Mexico, and Rubio’s Ecuador stop will focus on pushing back against Chinese influence.