U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, President Ali Discuss Deepening U.S.–Guyana Security Cooperation

GEORGETOWN/WASHINGTON — January 6, 2026 — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a call today with Guyanese President Dr. Irfaan Ali, as Washington and Georgetown move to further strengthen bilateral security cooperation, according to a U.S. State Department readout issued Tuesday.

In the official summary of the conversation, the State Department said Rubio commended President Ali for Guyana’s leadership as a regional security partner and for the country’s growing role in efforts aimed at promoting stability across the Western Hemisphere.

The discussion centered on expanding joint work to address shared security threats, including illicit narcotics trafficking and firearms trafficking, which U.S. officials described as drivers of regional instability and risks to economic resilience.

Both leaders also emphasized the need for continued collaboration to disrupt foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal networks, while strengthening law enforcement capabilities and border security, the readout said.

Continuing a pattern of high-level engagement

Tuesday’s call follows earlier high-level engagement between the two governments, including a State Department readout of a Rubio–Ali meeting in 2025 that also highlighted joint priorities in security cooperation.

While the U.S. readout did not announce new programs or timelines, the tone of the exchange signals ongoing efforts to deepen operational coordination—particularly on cross-border crime and interdiction—amid heightened regional focus on trafficking routes and organized criminal networks.

Official source: U.S. Department of State, “Secretary Rubio’s Call with Guyanese President Ali,” Office of the Spokesperson (January 6, 2026).