Panama Caves, Moves Away From China After Pressure From Trump

"Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino announced Sunday that the strategically vital nation will not would not renew its agreement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative after a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. President Donald Trump has long accused Panama of violating the terms of former President Carter’s treaty due to unfair canal fees and the nation’s growing relationship with China.

After meeting with Rubio in Panama City, Mulino told reporters that the agreement is due for renewal in a year or two. The Panamanian president added that he will study “whether it can be finished earlier or not.”
The announcement provides a massive blow to China’s influence in the Western Hemisphere, as Panama will be the first Latin American nation to lead the Belt and Road Initiative. The ambitious Chinese project has long been aimed at reestablishing the Silk Road, a network of trading routes between the East and the West. Beijing builds infrastructure in nations that sign on, oftentimes giving the Chinese government control over the economies and national security interests of developing nations. Chinese businesses operate ports near the Panama Canal, while Panama was the first Latin American nation to join the Belt and Road Initiative." TP