When Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Latin America for his first trip as Secretary of State in February, he sent a signal about the region’s strategic importance to the United States. He described Latin America as “A prosperous region rife with opportunities,” one with which the U.S. can “strengthen trade ties, create partnerships to control migration, and enhance our hemisphere’s security.” In the last 50 years, there has only been one other first visit by a Secretary of State to Latin America. Secretary Rubio’s emphasis on the region demonstrates that some of the best opportunities exist in our own hemisphere…