Trump announces pick for US ambassador to Panama

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Harry Fogle (Video Editor)

Days after threatening to take back control of the Panama Canal, President-elect Donald Trump announced his pick for U.S. ambassador to Panama. Trump also accused Panama of allowing Chinese soldiers to operate the canal as a Hong Kong-based contractor manages two of its ports.

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“I am pleased to announce that Kevin Marino Cabrera will serve as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, a country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams,” Trump posted to his social media site, Truth Social.

Trump added that Cabrera “will do a fantastic job representing our nation’s interests in Panama!”

Cabrera is currently a Miami-Dade County commissioner and vice chair of the International Trade Consortium.

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Trump’s announcement comes just days after he threatened to take control of the Panama Canal. He claimed the Republic of Panama charges exorbitant rates to use the 51-mile waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

The United States constructed the canal from 1903 to 1914 under President Theodore Roosevelt. The U.S. maintained operations of the passageway until President Jimmy Carter signed a treaty in 1977. That treaty transferred its control to Panama in 1999.

Meanwhile, in another Truth Social post, Trump said, “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’”

Panama’s president, José Raúl Mulino, pushed back on Trump’s claims during a press conference, calling them “nonsense.”

“There is not a single Chinese soldier in the canal, and on the other hand, it’s not going to happen. We maintain a respectful, well-managed relationship with China in terms of what is in the interest of both countries,” Mulino said.

Panama’s president also denied that his country was ripping off the United States with high tariffs to use the waterway.

Cabrera will need Senate confirmation.

Tags: China, Donald Trump, Panama, Truth Social

DAYS AFTER THREATENING TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE PANAMA CANAL, PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCES HIS PICK FOR US AMBASSADOR TO PANAMA.

“I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT KEVIN MARINO CABRERA WILL SERVE AS THE UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA, A COUNTRY THAT IS RIPPING US OFF ON THE PANAMA CANAL, FAR BEYOND THEIR WILDEST DREAMS,” TRUMP POSTED TO HIS SOCIAL MEDIA SITE, TRUTH SOCIAL.

TRUMP SAYS CABRERA “WILL DO A FANTASTIC JOB REPRESENTING OUR NATION’S INTERESTS IN PANAMA!”

CABRERA IS CURRENTLY A MIAMI-DADE COUNTY COMMISSIONER AND VICE CHAIR OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE CONSORTIUM.

TRUMP’S ANNOUNCEMENT COMES JUST DAYS AFTER TRUMP THREATENED TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE PANAMA CANAL AS HE SAID THE REPUBLIC OF PANAMA IS CHARGING EXORBITANT RATES TO USE THE 51-MILE WATERWAY BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC AND PACIFIC OCEANS.

THE UNITED STATES CONSTRUCTED THE CANAL UNDER PRESIDENT THEODORE ROOSEVELT, FROM 1903 TO 1914.

THE US OPERATED THE PASSAGEWAY UNTIL JIMMY CARTER SIGNED A TREATY IN 1977, TRANSFERRING TO CANAL TO PANAMANIAN CONTROL IN 1999.

TRUMP ALSO ACCUSED PANAMA OF ALLOWING CHINESE SOLDIERS TO OPERATE THE CANAL AS A HONG-KONG BASED CONTRACTOR MANAGES TWO OF ITS PORTS.

IN ANOTHER TRUTH SOCIAL POST, TRUMP SAID “MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, INCLUDING TO THE WONDERFUL SOLDIERS OF CHINA, WHO ARE LOVINGLY, BUT ILLEGALLY, OPERATING THE PANAMA CANAL (WHERE WE LOST 38,000 PEOPLE IN ITS BUILDING 110 YEARS AGO), ALWAYS MAKING CERTAIN THAT THE UNITED STATES PUTS IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN ‘REPAIR’ MONEY, BUT WILL HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT ‘ANYTHING.’”

PANAMA’S PRESIDENT JOSE RAUL MOLINO PUSHED BACK ON TRUMP’S CLAIMS DURING A PRESS CONFERENCE CALLING IT “NONSENSE.”

“THERE IS NOT A SINGLE CHINESE SOLDIER IN THE CANAL, AND ON THE OTHER HAND, IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE MAINTAIN A RESPECTFUL, WELL-MANAGED RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA IN TERMS OF WHAT IS IN THE INTEREST OF BOTH COUNTRIES.” MOLINO SAID.

THE PANAMANIAN PRESIDENT ALSO DENIED HIS COUNTRY WAS RIPPING OFF THE UNITED STATES WITH HIGH TARIFFS TO USE THE WATERWAY.

CABRERA WILL NEED SENATE CONFIRMATION.