U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio Convenes 66 Nations to Combat ‘Left-Wing Political Terrorism’
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has organized a diplomatic summit with 66 countries to address what he describes as a global resurgence of “left-wing political terrorism.” Rubio asserts that U.S. counterterrorism doctrine has long maintained a “blind spot” regarding extremist violence from the political left, arguing that such threats have been historically dismissed as fantasies or conspiracies by academic and media institutions.
Rubio’s Critique of Counterterrorism Doctrine
During the proceedings, Secretary Rubio claimed that a systemic bias has existed within the study of political extremism. He argued that while neo-Nazi violence is recognized as “atrocious and murderous,” violence perpetrated by Marxist revolutionaries has often been characterized as a “tragic excess of idealism.”
“The violence of the left was not only justified; it was treated as something sacred, a protected category in itself,” Rubio stated. He insisted that this perception must end, maintaining that left-wing political terrorism is not a modern invention of conservative politicians but was historically the predominant form of political violence during the modern era.
Historical Precedents and Current Threats
To support his position, the Secretary of State cited several historical organizations, including the Tupamaros, the FARC, the ELN, and Sendero Luminoso in Latin America, as well as the Red Brigades, the Red Army Faction, and the Greek organization 17 de Noviembre. Rubio stated that the U.S. is currently facing a “new wave of this old evil,” claiming that the proportion of left-wing extremist attacks and plots has reached levels not seen in decades.
Rubio characterized the nature of radical left-wing movements—including those identifying as anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, communist, anarchist, or Marxist—as “resentment disguised with the language of equality, justice, and liberation.” He described the communist vision of the world as one “without bravery” and “without God,” driven by a desire to destroy the achievements of civilization.
Diplomatic Participation and Political Context
The level of international engagement at the summit varies by nation. Sources from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicate that Spain is participating at the level of an embassy counselor.
The summit occurs against a backdrop of domestic political tension in the United States. While the administration focuses on “Antifa”—which does not exist as an organization or political entity—other forms of political violence have seen different legal outcomes. On July 4, 400 neo-Nazi militants marched through the center of Washington DC. Furthermore, President Donald Trump, upon returning to the White House, pardoned the assailants of the January 2021 Capitol attack.
Notably, while Rubio highlighted the violence of left-wing guerrillas and militants, he did not reference the state crimes committed by Latin American dictatorships supported by the U.S., whose torturers were trained at the School of the Americas, nor the fascist dictatorships in Europe, such as those in Spain, Greece, or Portugal, which received Washington’s encouragement. He similarly omitted mention of the 2021 Capitol assault or assassination attempts targeting Democratic politicians in his assessment of current threats.
