Senate confirms election of Marco Rubio as US Secretary of State

This Monday, January 20, 2025, the United States Senate unanimously approved Marco Rubio
as secretary of stateplacing the senator popular among his peers on the front line of President Donald Trump’s often contentious diplomacy.

Marco Rubio, who is the first Hispanic and the first fluent Spanish speaker to take over as top US diplomat.

(Also read: Marco Rubio attacked China, Cuba, the Maduro regime, the FARC and the ELN)

The Republican senator He is 53 years old and is the son of Cuban immigrants.. He arrives at Foggy Bottom (headquarters of the State Department) as a “hawk” in foreign policy, pa supporter of a tough line with China and Iran and with great attention paid to Latin America, where he supports the sanctions on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

Thanks to his good relationship with his colleagues in the Senate, where he has held a position for Florida since 2010, Rubio managed to become today the first member of Trump’s cabinet confirmed for the position, just a few hours after the president was inaugurated.

Who is Marco Rubio?

Born in Miami, Marco Rubio is a traditional politician and respectful of the institutions, which facilitated the rapid approval of the Upper House, unlike other, much more controversial Trump nominees.

Graduated ‘cum laude’ in Law from the University of Miami (UM), is married to the American of Colombian origin Jeanette Dousdebes, who was a cheerleader as a student of the Miami Dolphins, with whom he has four children: Amanda, Daniella, Anthony y Dominic.

Recognized for his skillful rhetoric, he has also exerted a notable influence in the Senate on the position of Republicans on foreign policy issues. Based on his personal history, Rubio has enormous interest in Latin America and from the Senate he has always been critical of the leftist governments in the region and in favor of applying maximum pressure on Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

This senator gained national popularity in 2016 when he tried to win the Republican presidential nomination in a primary in which Donald Trump was finally elected, who would later win the elections.

During those primaries, Trump belittled him by calling him ‘Little Marco’, but after leaving the race, the senator was very loyal to the New York magnate. He was in the pools like Donald Trump’s possible running mate for the Vice Presidencybefore he finally opted for JD Vance.

Following Trump’s electoral victory, after a campaign in which Marco Rubio played a prominent role, the New York magnate decided to reward him with the position of head of US diplomacy, a position never before held by a Latino.

The appointment was also interpreted as a nod by Trump to Hispanic voters, an electorate that turned towards the Republican in the presidential elections, allowing him to achieve historic progress in that community.

But some members of Trump’s closest circle view the figure of Marco Rubio with suspicion, considering that his ‘hawk’ profile contrasts with the isolationist “America First” policy that Trump promotes.

Unlike his predecessor, Antony Blinken, an experienced diplomat and national security advisor, Rubio is a professional politician who has already shown that he has presidential aspirations.

(Also read: Maduro regime questions Marco Rubio’s appointment in the Trump Government and makes a bet)