Senator Marco Rubio, now Secretary of State, is kicking off his first international trip with a visit to Latin America. One key stop? Panama—where things are heating up thanks to Trump’s latest threat. The former president has warned that the U.S. could take back control of the Panama Canal, citing concerns over Panama’s growing ties with China.
This idea isn’t sitting well with Panamanians, who see it as a throwback to old-school American imperialism. Plus, experts say it’s just not realistic. Miriam Pensack, a scholar based in Panama City, calls the idea “impossible” from a logistical standpoint.
But here’s where it gets tricky—Panama is now making diplomatic moves to keep the peace. In what Pensack describes as a “troubling” shift, the country has agreed to work more closely with Trump’s efforts to crack down on Central American migration to the U.S. Looks like Trump’s threats are already shaping policy in the region.
