Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to make his first trip abroad next week, which will include a stop in Panama amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump’s vow to take back the Panama Canal.
“China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,” Trump said during his inaugural speech.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has denied that China is running the canal and stated it won’t be returned to the United States.
Tammy Bruce, department spokeswoman, said Rubio—a Florida Senator with Cuban roots—also planned to visit El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic….