Contrary to tradition, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be traveling to Ibero-America for his first overseas trip, rather than to Asia. He will leave next week for Panama and four other nations—Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic—almost certainly to focus on China’s role in the region, particularly in Panama, where President Trump has indicated he intends to “take back” the Panama Canal. During his Jan. 15 confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio described China as the U.S.’s greatest adversary. Rubio will also be discussing the migration issue, telling nations to keep their migrants at home, or take back the ones the U.S. may deport. Migrants travel through all these countries as they make their way north to Mexico and the U.S. border.
The Panama Canal issue is a sensitive one for Ibero-America, and sovereignty is defended by most of the region. Trump falsely claims that China controls the Canal, when the Chinese CK Hutchison Holdings company only operates two ports, one at each end of the Canal. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has authored a letter to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council defending Panama’s ownership of the Canal. He cited two articles of the UN Charter prohibiting member states from using threats and force to violate “the territorial integrity or political independence” of other states.
Costa Rica, Panama, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic all have close working relations with China although Washington is always looking for ways to increase its economic and military involvement in the region. Guatemala still maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The White House reported that Trump spoke by phone with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele on Jan. 23.