Key Takeaways
- US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Kevin Marino Cabrera as the US Ambassador to Panama, sparking controversy over Panama Canal ownership and US-Panama relations.
- The Panama Canal is critically important for US trade and the rapid deployment of US Navy forces in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
- The United States is the largest user of the Panama Canal, providing over 72% of all passage through it.
Washington: US President-elect Donald Trump has announced that he has nominated the candidacy of former County Commissioner Kevin Cabrera to the post of 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 said on Truth Social.
Trump added that Cabrera has served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner, Vice Chairman of the International Trade Consortium, and also worked in Trump’s 2020 election team in the role of Florida State Director.
“Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin—he will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama,” the president-elect added.
Later in the day, Cabrera said that he was “humbled and honored” by the nomination.
“Let’s get to work,” he said on X.
The president-elect stated that he would demand a quick return of the Panama Canal to US ownership due to high fees for its passage. The Panama Canal is crucial for US trade and the rapid deployment of US Navy forces in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Over 72% of all passage through the canal is provided by the United States.
Commenting on Trump’s statement, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino said that the country’s sovereignty was non-negotiable and that the Panama Canal fully belonged to Panama under the 1977 treaty.
