1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

Appointing Marco Rubio as Secretary of State would be a concerning and polarizing choice that could damage America's relationships in Latin America. Rubio has a long record of embracing hardline, hawkish stances and demonizing elected leaders in the region who don't align with his ideological views. His reputation for inflammatory rhetoric aimed at leftist governments is likely to alienate even U.S. allies unwilling to blindly follow an "America First" foreign policy agenda. Rubio's aggressive stance towards countries like Venezuela, while popular with Cuban exiles in Florida, has demonstrably backfired by strengthening authoritarian rulers and allowing rivals like Russia and China to expand their influence. His combative approach seems aimed at scoring political points rather than productive diplomacy. The United States would be better served by a Secretary willing to pursue dialogue, leverage multilateral partnerships, and avoid needless provocation of neighbors over ideological differences. Rubio's track record suggests he would be an extremely divisive and confrontational envoy in a region desperately needing stability and cooperation on issues like migration, trade and security. I urge reconsideration of this ill-advised nomination in America's best interests.