Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s first international trip will reportedly take him to Panama amid President Trump’s threats to reclaim the canal.
Politico reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s maiden international journey will begin with a visit to Panama, possibly as early as next week. This trip follows President Trump’s renewed efforts to regain control of the Panama Canal.
The planned trip, slated for late January to early February, will also include stops in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, according to Wednesday’s Politico report citing unnamed US administration sources.
President Trump has repeatedly asserted his desire to reclaim the canal from Panama, alleging Chinese control. He reiterated this claim during his inaugural address on Monday.
Panama’s government has firmly rejected President Trump’s statements. A formal letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council rejects these plans.
In the letter, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino stated, “the canal is and will continue to be Panama’s,” according to the New York Times. The letter cites UN Charter articles prohibiting the use of threats or force to violate the “territorial integrity or political independence” of other nations.
The Panama Canal is a critical global shipping route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, handling approximately 6% of global trade. Constructed by the United States in the early 20th century, it was transferred to Panama under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977.
A Chinese company, CK Hutchison Holdings (formerly Hutchison Whampoa), has operated two ports near the canal’s ends since the late 1990s. These ports are separate from the canal itself, which is managed by the autonomous Panama Canal Authority (ACP).
Beyond the canal issue, Secretary Rubio’s South American trip will also focus on addressing illegal immigration.
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce confirmed Rubio’s itinerary on Wednesday, noting that engaging with neighboring countries is “a vital element in addressing migration, supply chains and economic growth.”