Op-Ed: Raul Lopez: Marco Rubio is the Right Man to Lead the State Department

Marco Rubio is an American success story and an inspiration to every young person out there who is looking for a role model to follow, Raul Lopez writes.

The American people have spoken and have sent a clear message: the Washington status quo needs to go.

Besides getting the economy back on track, the Trump administration has a terrific opportunity to turn the page on the failed Biden administration’s foreign policies that have made our country and our world more dangerous.

President Trump is off to a great start by nominating Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) to lead the State Department.

For starters, Sen. Rubio is eminently qualified for this role. Rubio has been at the forefront of some of our country’s most sensitive and important national security and international relations issues as a senior member of the Foreign Relations Committee and the as the Select Committee on Intelligence’s vice chairman.

The next Secretary of State cannot have on-the-job training.

By turning a blind eye to adversaries, ignoring threats in our backyard, and being slow to condemn attacks on our friends and allies, the United States finds itself on unsteady footing on the global stage.

The good news is that Rubio has been preparing for this moment all his life.

As the son of political refugees, the cause of liberty and freedom runs deep.

Rubio often speaks about the horrors his parents and grandparents faced under Communist Cuba. As a political refugee from Communist Cuba, I have seen the horrors of communism firsthand and know that this is the story of the Cuban Diaspora.

Rubio will advocate for a robust America First foreign policy on the world stage. Through his leadership, the United States will support our friends and allies worldwide but, just as importantly, demand more from them and the international bodies created to prevent conflict worldwide.

For far too long, institutions like the United Nations, NATO, and the Organization of American States — which is like the United Nations for Latin America — have turned a blind eye to human rights abuses, attacks on religious freedoms, and true authoritarians (unlike the ones created by the legacy media and some on the Left) as they assert greater control at the expense of liberty and democracy.

Rubio also recognizes the threats posed by an increasingly belligerent China. Besides one-sided trade agreements (at the expense of Americans), the Chinese government has increased its espionage and military capabilities to assert greater control of Asia.

It’s why Senator Rubio has teamed up with my friend and home state Senator, Marsha Blackburn, in introducing legislation prohibiting asylum to any confirmed Chinese communist members.

The threat of communism spreading even more in our classrooms and universities is real — and with Rubio at the helm of the State Department, China is on high alert that the status quo is about to change.

Finally, Rubio’s confirmation to lead the State Department would be a great reminder that the American Dream is alive and well. As the son of a bartender in South Florida, no one can accuse Rubio of having been born with a silver spoon. However, through hard work, dedication, and rugged tenacity, Senator Rubio is an American success story and an inspiration to every young person out there who is looking for a role model to follow.

Senator Rubio should be confirmed without delay.

Raul Lopez is the chairman of Latinos for Tennessee, an organization committed to promoting faith, family, and freedom among the Latino community in Tennessee, and is a political refugee from Cuba.