The American-built canal was turned over to the Panamanians in and they object strongly to Trump's demand to hand it back. Mass migration, drugs and hostile policies pursued by Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela have wreaked havoc, Rubio said in the Journal opinion piece. Yet Rubio said he will make clear Trump's intent. In an interview Thursday with SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly, he said Trump's desire to retake control of the Panama Canal is driven by legitimate national security interests stemming from growing concerns about Chinese activity and influence in Latin America.
Obviously, the Panamanians are not big fans of that idea. That message has been brought very clear. Chinese investments in ports and other infrastructure and facilities at both the Pacific and Caribbean ends of the canal are a cause for major concern, leaving Panama and the critical shipping route vulnerable to China, he said. Despite Mulino's rejection of any negotiation over ownership, some believe Panama may be open to a compromise under which canal operations on both sides are taken away from the Hong Kong-based Hutchison Ports company that was given a year no-bid extension to run them.
An audit into the suitability of that extension is already under way and could lead to a rebidding process. What is unclear is whether Trump would accept the transfer of the concession to an American or European firm as meeting his demands, which appear to cover more than just operations. Rubio arrived in Panama on Saturday for meetings the following day with Mulino and the canal administrator. His arrival comes just a day after the U. However, such as with Colombia, Rubio may only be able to bring limited relief from a U.
In Latin America, such programs have generally focused on policing, counternarcotics operations and efforts to stem illegal migration. Rubio has made provisions for certain programs offering life-saving assistance to be exempted from the funding pause, and waiver applications for programs in several of the countries he will be visiting are under review.
Among the countries for which waivers for certain programs have been submitted are Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and its neighbor, Haiti. The request comes amid a lawsuit from President Trump and the pending merger between Paramount and Skydance. Gavin Newsom signed an order to 'maximize the capture and storage' of water during storms. Environmentalists say it's similar to President Trump's directives.
