Marco Rubio's appointment as the United States' top diplomat has raised expectations that Washington will place greater emphasis on Latin America moving forward.

As the first Latino secretary of state, Sen. Marco Rubio is expected to devote considerable attention to what has long been disparagingly referred to as Washington’s backyard.

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Sen. Marco Rubio as his secretary of state is likely to bring far more attention to Latin America and the Caribbean, a region often historically overlooked by U.