WASHINGTON – Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing for his inaugural trip abroad to Panama, marking his first assignment as America’s foremost diplomat.

On Thursday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce announced that Rubio’s journey will also encompass visits to Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, starting late next week.

This visit to Panama follows weeks of President Donald Trump’s outspoken criticism of the nation, emphasizing the necessity for the U.S. to reclaim the Panama Canal. In his inauguration speech on Monday, he indicated that regaining control of the canal would be a priority for his administration.

“We’ve been unfairly treated concerning what was a misguided gift that should never have been given, and Panama has failed to uphold its commitments to us,” Trump stated in the Capitol rotunda. “The intentions of our agreement and the essence of our treaty have been completely disregarded.”

Later that Monday, amidst signing numerous executive orders, Trump once again mentioned the canal, mistakenly claiming it is under Chinese control.

“China controls the Panama Canal. What is this about? When Jimmy Carter handed it over, which was an egregious error, he did not give it to China; he gave it to Panama,” Trump stated.

The U.S. agreed to hand over control of the canal to Panama during the presidency of Jimmy Carter, and it has been managed by Panama since 1999.

Concerns regarding Chinese shipping companies operating in the canal have raised U.S. economic and national security alarms.

During his confirmation hearing for the position of secretary of state last week, Rubio acknowledged that worries about Chinese control of the canal are valid. He proposed that the U.S. could potentially argue that the safeguard treaty was violated in order to reclaim the waterway.

“Although technically, sovereignty over the canal was not transferred to a foreign power, in practice, a foreign nation today maintains through its companies, which we know are not autonomous, the capability to turn the canal into a strategic bottleneck during a conflict, posing a direct risk to American interests and national security,” Rubio remarked.

Trump has consistently raised the issue in his speeches and on social media. During a January news conference, while still president-elect, he did not dismiss the possibility of reclaiming the canal through force.

Politico was the first to report on Rubio’s journey, which is set to include assessments in countries that the administration aims to collaborate with concerning illegal migration heading towards the United States’ southern border.

Trump is anticipated to have a discussion on Thursday with Nayib Bukele, the president of El Salvador.

Both Guatemala and El Salvador are crucial transit nations for migrants traveling northward to the U.S. border. Alongside Honduras, they form the so-called Northern Triangle, known as significant sources of migrants heading to the U.S.

Mass deportations were a key part of Trump’s campaign for reelection. However, the U.S. must establish agreements with these countries to enable them to accept deportation flights of their own citizens. Trump has indicated that he will exert pressure on cooperative nations in the region to accept deported individuals as well.

Guatemala and El Salvador rank among the top five destinations for removal flights, according to Witness at the Border, an organization made up of volunteers that tracks U.S. deportation flights across the globe.

Contributing: Lauren Villagran