Marco Rubio, selected by Donald Trump as the head of diplomacy in his future cabinet, stated on Wednesday that Venezuela is “governed by a drug trafficking organization” and Cuba is “literally collapsing.” He made these remarks during a Senate hearing that focused on China, which he described as the “most dangerous adversary” of the United States.

In the United States, the Constitution requires that ministerial and other high-level appointments be confirmed by a Senate vote following a hearing in the relevant committee.

Rubio emphasized that China is “the most powerful and dangerous adversary” the U.S. has ever faced because it possesses “elements that the Soviet Union never had.”

“We welcomed the Chinese Communist Party into this world order. They took full advantage of its benefits but ignored all its obligations and responsibilities,” he added. “They have lied, cheated, hacked, and stolen their way to global superpower status at our expense,” the Republican asserted.

He rejected one of the key principles of outgoing President Joe Biden: prioritizing a “liberal world order” based on rules and led by the United States.

Instead, he defended Trump’s “America First” motto.

The post-war global order, he argued, “is now a weapon being used against us,” he said during a speech interrupted several times by protesters.

“If we continue down the current path, in less than 10 years, virtually everything that matters to us will depend on whether China allows it or not,” Rubio warned.

To deter China from invading Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory, Rubio believes Washington must demonstrate that the cost would be “too high.”

The “soul of America” remains at stake, outgoing President Joe Biden warned ahead of delivering his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday, just days before Donald Trump returns to the White House.

The 82-year-old Democrat will give his speech at 8:00 PM (01:00 GMT Thursday) during prime time from the Oval Office.

In advance, he released a letter to the American people, indirectly criticizing the 78-year-old Republican without naming him directly.

“I ran for president because I believed the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was on the line. And that remains true today,” Biden wrote. “History is in your hands. Power is in your hands. The idea of America is in your hands. We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are,” he added.

Biden claimed that the United States is stronger now than it was four years ago, citing what he described as its recovery from Trump’s first term, the COVID-19 pandemic, and “the worst attack on democracy since the Civil War.”

Biden took office just days after the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters attempting to overturn his electoral defeat.

While Biden did not mention Trump by name, his remarks echoed themes from previous speeches, where he stated that he ran in the 2020 election because America’s “soul” was in danger due to Trump and his followers.

Canadian business leaders met with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum on Wednesday to express strong interest in increasing their investments in the country. This initiative aligns with a joint effort to strengthen the region under the framework of the North American trade agreement (USMCA).

Francisco Cervantes, President of the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), highlighted the participation of the top 10 Canadian entrepreneurs, who discussed strategies to boost key sectors.

He also emphasized that Mexico is fostering an unprecedented climate of trust to attract foreign investment, with better-paid jobs as one of the main objectives.

“The government, led by the president, is doing exceptional work to establish Mexico as an attractive destination for investors,” Cervantes stated. “We are working together to develop a tariff plan with the United States to ensure that negotiations are favorable for all parties involved,” added the CCE president.