U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visits Ecuador on the second leg of a three-nation tour of South America aimed at boosting security cooperation with conservative leaders. The leaders of Colombia, Ecuador and Peru have cozied up to President Donald Trump, especially in the administration’s push to crack down on drug trafficking. Rubio spent Tuesday in Colombia meeting with new conservative firebrand President Abelardo de la Espriella, and is traveling to Quito on Wednesday for talks with Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa. Noboa has rapidly embraced the Trump administration’s get-tough stance on counternarcotics operations and illegal immigration.

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FILE - Right-wing party Brothers of Italy's leader Giorgia Meloni addresses a rally as she starts her political campaign ahead of the Sept. 25 general elections, in Ancona, Italy, Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis, File)