Panama will be one of the first stops for new Secretary of State Marco Rubio when he heads overseas for the first time as America’s top diplomat later next week, so he will face unique challenges early in his tenure.
Panama is one of the United States’ closest allies in Latin America, but President Donald Trump has said since December that he wants to take back the Panama Canal, tweeting in social media posts, at rallies, and even in his inaugural address. It is argued that. The important waterway is under Chinese control. Both China and Panama deny any interference in the operation of the canal, which is operated as a neutral waterway.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said Rubio’s other destinations include Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.
“If we want to stay safe and prosperous and well-served, we have to look at our neighbors and the world today, certainly Latin America,” Bruce told reporters Thursday. Ta.
“China runs the Panama Canal,” President Trump said in his inaugural address on Monday. “And we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we’re taking it back.”
Although China does not operate the Panama Canal, its ownership of nearby ports is one of many examples of Chinese investment in critical infrastructure in the Western Hemisphere, and U.S. officials in both Republican and Democratic administrations This has long caused concern among the public. At least five Chinese state-owned companies operate along the Panama Canal. In 2023, retired Gen. Laura Richardson, then commander of the U.S. Southern Command, warned that the companies could be repurposed for military purposes.
Rubio reiterated those concerns during his confirmation hearing earlier this month.
Asked about Trump’s threat, Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “There could be an argument that there was a violation of the terms of the delivery of the canal.” “For although technically speaking the sovereignty of the canal has not been ceded to foreign powers, the fact is that foreign powers today are controlling the canal through their companies, which they know we are not independent of. It is a moment of conflict, and it is a direct threat to U.S. national interests and security.”
Rubio added that Panama is a “great partner on many other issues as well.”
“I hope that we can resolve this issue regarding the canal and its security, and I look forward to continuing to work together on many common issues, including what to do about migration,” Rubio said.
Immigration will be a central issue in future travel conversations.
In an internal memo sent on his first day in office, obtained by NBC News, Rubio said his top priority for future U.S. diplomats is to “secure America’s borders and deter illegal and destabilizing immigration.” and negotiations for the repatriation of illegal immigrants.”
“Mass immigration is one of the most critical problems of our time,” Rubio said in the memo. “The era of mass immigration must end.”
