United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been in office for just over three weeks, recently completed his first official visits to Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. In these visits, he actively promoted President Trump’s “America First” policy and staunchly countered the threats posed by China to the security of Western Hemisphere countries.
This is just the first step for Blinken as Secretary of State in advancing the vision of “Making America Great Again” globally.
During an interview with Fox News, Blinken explained that there were specific reasons for choosing these five democratic partner countries as the destinations for his first visits as Secretary of State.
He stated that the visits to the five countries have already yielded significant results.
Blinken believes that previous American administrations did not pay enough attention to Latin America and the Caribbean, causing these countries to feel neglected. However, he emphasized that these nations are vital allies of the United States, stating, “This is our region, but in previous administrations, it was often overlooked. But now, that will no longer be the case.”
Blinken expressed that the United States will pursue a pragmatic foreign policy, declaring, “Under President Trump’s leadership, we will firmly confront our adversaries, generously reward our allies, and confidently ensure our national security interests.”
He pointed out, “China has been attempting to strengthen its influence in the Panama Canal region for years, endangering its neutrality and U.S. security. However, when the United States warned Panama of the dangers brought by China, Panama immediately pledged to withdraw from the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative.”
Blinken’s visit to Panama on January 31 garnered significant attention, as President Trump expressed interest in regaining control of the Panama Canal, making it his first formal visit after taking office.
During the visit with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, Blinken made it clear that the United States sees the Panama Canal as a strategic asset that should not fall under Chinese control.
After the meeting with Blinken, Mulino promptly promised that Panama would no longer sign agreements with China under the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, and would review Chinese enterprises in Panama.
Blinken’s visits to the five countries mark a resurgence of American influence in the Americas. He stressed that the United States will not allow China to continue expanding its influence in the region and will take decisive actions to ensure that allies stand with America.
Following Blinken’s visits to Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic, the leaders of these nations worked together with the United States to develop strategic plans to address various challenges threatening the sovereignty of the Americas, particularly in areas such as Chinese 5G telecommunications espionage, illegal immigration, and transnational crime.
During Blinken’s visit, the Salvadoran government stated its willingness to not only receive its own citizens deported from the United States but also to detain “dangerous criminals” deported from any country by the United States.
Blinken emphasized that these successes demonstrate that “America First” does not mean “American isolation.” He stated, “Based on U.S. interests, this administration will reach mutually beneficial agreements with our international partners at any time and place.”
He stressed, “The United States not only considers its own interests a priority but also values the interests of our allies in the hemisphere. Their relationship with us is more natural than with distant authoritarian regimes like China. They only break this alliance when America cedes the battlefield to the enemy.”
Blinken hopes to bring American success to various parts of the world through this pragmatic foreign policy, making everyone “realize that America is great again.” He added, “By working together with us, the Americas will also be great again.”