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US Defense Secretary Pete Hegsheth will travel to Panama earlier this week as Washington has raised pressure on the Central American nation over Chinese influence on its famous canal.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to restore control of the Panama Canal, which operates about 5 percent of the worldwide maritime trade, complaining that the Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison has a discount for two ports on two ports.
In response to the US pressure, a Blackrock CK has been proposed to purchase the Hutchison’s Ports Department, which holds the discount, in a contract worth about $ 22.8 billion. However, the Chinese authorities are reviewing the transaction, doubting whether it will be completed.
Hegasath is planning to attend the Central American Security Conference in Panama and is expected to meet with President Jose Raul Mulino on Tuesday.
Pentagon spokesman Shan Parnell said the visit to Hegastath would make the ongoing effort to strengthen our partnership with Panama and other central American countries, “said Pentagon spokesman Shan Parnell.
Last week, US military personnel were visible in Panama City because the two countries focused on the protection and intercourse of the Panama Canal and ended the early stages of annual military practice. The US military said more joint practice will be held this week.
NBC News reported last month that the White House had instructed the Pentagon to plan a plan to increase the presence of US troops in Panama, including an alternative to forcibly occupying American troops. The White House did not respond to any request to comment.
Panama is suddenly refrained from becoming foreign policy in the United States. This step in Washington comes when Mulino is facing a number of domestic challenges, including the risk of water and the future of a large copper mining, which has been closed 18 months ago.
Mulino and Hegastath in February “to increase cooperation between the US military and Panama” and agreed to protect the canal, according to a Pentagon reedout of the call.
Panama Trump is also trying to calm Trump by cracking on immigrants to the United States through Darien Gap, a dense jungle between Colombia and Panama.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first trip abroad was in Panama earlier this year. Rubio told Mulino that Trump “The current position of the Chinese Communist Party on the Panama Canal” saw the neutrality of the canal as a violation of the agreement.
Mulino and other Panamanian officials say the canal is completely controlled by the Independent Panama Canal Authority (PCA) and was not in favor of the sovereign control of Panama.
Separately, Panama controller CK Hutchison is operating a forensic audit of the canal discount, local MLAs have alleged irregularities. CK Hutchison denied that Trump’s criticism was a decision to sell the ports and said that this agreement was “authentic commercial in nature.”
On Friday, Deputy Secretary Christopher Landau Panama spoke to Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Asha. The State Department says the pair discussed the “importance” of monitoring.
“The tour reflects on how important the visit has become with Panama in the United States,” said Orlando Perez, a professor at the University of North Texas. He added that if the monitoring could find irregularities, many believe that it would be, but “the pressure to take some action against the port exemption for Panama’s controller would be significant”.
