During his first foreign trip as the top U.S. diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a warning to Panamanian leader José Raúl Mulino regarding Chinese influence over the Panama Canal area. Rubio emphasized the need for Panama to reduce this influence immediately or potentially face retaliation from the United States.
Rubio's visit to Panama included discussions with Mulino, who has resisted pressure from the U.S. government concerning the management of the vital waterway crucial to global trade. While Mulino stated that Rubio did not make any direct threats of force or canal takeover, Rubio conveyed President Donald Trump's concerns about China's presence in the canal area possibly violating the treaty that transferred control to Panama in 1999.
