Marco Lays the Law Hammer Down in Panama

8:00 AM · February 03, 2025

Excerpt Secretary of State x.com

I met with Panamanian President @JoseRaulMulino and Foreign Minister @javierachapma to make clear that the United States cannot, and will not, allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue with its effective and growing control over the Panama Canal area. We also discussed… pic.twitter.com/Hj0pXGahqk
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) February 2, 2025

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Author Commentary

Beege Welborn Feb 3, 2025 8:00 AM ET

This is fun!

BREAKING:

Axios reports that Marco Rubio presented an ultimatum to the President of Panama regarding the Panama Canal when they met today:

“Absent immediate changes regarding Chinese influence, the US will take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty" pic.twitter.com/Tysj8VYRj2
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) February 2, 2025

Axios:

...What they are saying: Rubio told Mulino and Martínez-Acha that Trump has made "a preliminary determination" that the current Chinese influence over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

Rubio said that it is also a violation of the treaty between the U.S. and Panama which defines the neutrality and operation of the canal.
"Secretary Rubio made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the Treaty," Bruce said.