Latest news with #Torrijos-CarterTreaties
Al Jazeera
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
‘Camouflaged invasion': Panama opposition slams security pact with the US
Opposition politicians in Panama have accused the United States of launching a 'camouflaged invasion' of the country after President Donald Trump confirmed the deployment of US soldiers days after the two countries signed a security pact. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday confirmed that deals, including a memorandum of understanding, were reached between the US and Panamanian authorities in efforts to secure 'the Panama Canal from Chinese influence'. 'The Panama Canal is key terrain that must be secured by Panama, with America, and not China,' Hegseth said in a statement on Wednesday during his three-day trip to Panama. Hegseth said a deal with the Panama Canal Authority would allow US warships and auxiliary ships 'first and free' passage through the canal that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic and is a chief conduit for global trade. He added that US troops would be deployed at three former military bases – Fort Sherman, Rodman Naval Base and Howard Air Force Base – as part of a deal signed with Panama's Ministry of Public Security, raising concerns in Panama. The last US troops were pulled out from the country in 1999. In a video posted on social media on Friday, Ricardo Lombana, the leader of the opposition Another Way Movement, called the memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Panamanian governments days earlier 'an invasion without firing a shot'. The agreement was reached after a three-day visit by US Defense Secretary Hegseth. On Thursday, President Trump confirmed that US soldiers and military personnel were deployed to Panama as part of the deal, telling reporters, 'We've moved a lot of troops to Panama.' Despite an insistence by the Panamanian government that these are not 'military bases' and that the deal is temporary, the opposition believes the US has re-established its military presence in the country. 'No matter what you want to call it, what we've read in this memo is the establishment of military bases,' said Lombana, the opposition leader. He added that the 'firm step' slogan that the government has been using in its political messaging now 'limps and kneels under pressure'. The last US military bases in Panama were evacuated in 1999 as part of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed in 1977 with the aim of handing control over the canal to Panama. The US also invaded Panama in 1989 as part of what it called 'Operation Just Cause' to depose leader Manuel Noriega. US troops were accused of killing thousands of civilians and destroying homes and infrastructure during the operation, leaving a controversial legacy. That is partly why frustration has been growing in Panama over Trump's declaration that he intends to 'take back' the Panama Canal. The US has refused to acknowledge Panama's ownership over the canal as part of the negotiations that led to the defence pact signed earlier this week. The Panamanian opposition, along with the local chapter of Transparency International, which works to promote more responsible governance practices, have called on the government to inform the country about the precise contents of the agreement with the US. China has heavily criticised the agreement, maintaining that it views the Panama Canal as a permanently neutral international passageway. The canal handles about 40 percent of US container traffic and 5 percent of global trade.
Russia Today
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Trump demands ‘military options' to control Panama Canal
President Donald Trump has directed the US military to develop plans to 'secure' the Panama Canal from alleged Chinese influence, following multiple threats to 'reclaim' and 'take back' the waterway, according to sources cited by Reuters, CNN and NBC. The Panama Canal, a vital maritime route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, has been under Panamanian control since 1999 following the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which stipulated that it would remain neutral and open to all nations. Trump has repeatedly threatened to take back control of the waterway, citing 'ridiculous fees' and concerns over China's increasing presence in the region. Earlier this year, Trump refused to rule out the use of military force to take control of the canal, stating that all options were on the table to protect US economic and national security interests. In an Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance memo obtained by CNN on Thursday, the White House formally asked the Pentagon to 'immediately' provide options to ensure unlimited US access to the canal. 'Provide credible military options to ensure fair and unfettered US military and commercial access to the Panama Canal,' one of the directives in the memo reportedly stated. US Southern Command is already developing potential plans, ranging from 'partnering' closely with Panamanian security forces to a scenario in which US troops seize the canal by force, unnamed officials told NBC. Sources cited by Reuters also said the Pentagon had been ordered to explore military options to secure US access to the waterway. Panamanian officials previously firmly rejected Trump's assertions and threats, while the Panama Canal Authority maintains that the canal is operated solely by Panamanians, with no evidence supporting claims of Chinese control. President Jose Raul Mulino stated that the canal is part of Panama's 'inalienable patrimony' and emphasized that Panama maintains full control of its operations. However, after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio personally delivered Trump's ultimatum to Panama in February, Mulino made a concession to Washington by refusing to renew the country's 2017 agreements with China under Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
China expands influence near wealthy Florida enclave as migrants from communist country flood into US
China's growing presence in America's backyard could grant the communist country access to Florida's coast, coinciding with a dramatic rise in Chinese national border encounters. The Caribbean region, also known as "America's third border" due to its proximity to the U.S., has been financially backed by China in maritime logistics and infrastructure projects in recent years. "I think the Chinese are trying to gain influence in a region which is very close to the American homeland," Gordon G. Chang, an author and expert on U.S.-China relations told Fox News Digital. Chang pointed to the $3.4-billion Freeport Container port project in the Bahamas, just 87 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida. A report from the House Foreign Affairs Committee found that China invested over $10 billion in six Caribbean countries between 2005 and 2022. Why Trump's Target Should Be China, Not Panama Read On The Fox News App During his inauguration speech, President Donald Trump repeated his desire to retake control of the Panama Canal, the vital strategic waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. "Above all, 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 in his inaugural address. The U.S. controlled it from its 1914 completion until 1999, when it was handed over to Panama under the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties. The treaties permit the U.S. military to preserve the canal's neutrality, allowing the U.S. to perpetually use the canal. House Republicans Introduce Bill To Repurchase Panama Canal After Trump Raises Concerns Of Chinese Control Chinese companies have invested heavily in ports and terminals near the canal. A Hong Kong-based company runs two of the five ports close to its entrances. "This is going to take some time because China didn't take over the Canal Zone with soldiers, they took it over with people in business attire with large checkbooks and suitcases of cash," he said. "And the United States needs to come in with cash of its own to drive the Chinese out of the Canal Zone and Panama." The U.S. has for decades turned a blind eye to the Western Hemisphere when it comes to national security, Chang said. But the Trump administration has sought to change that in its first few weeks in office. As evidence, Chang pointed to Secretary of State Rubio's trip to Panama as his first foreign trip as America's top diplomat. "I think that that shows that President Trump's foreign policy, at least initially, will be focused on North and South America," he said. "This is the first time in more than a century that an American president has given his primary principle focus to countries closest to the United States." I Am A Usaid Whistleblower. I've Got To Admit, Musk Is Mostly Right About Agency's Waste The increase of China's influence in the west correlates with the rising number of Chinese migrants apprehended at both the northern and southern borders. The number of Chinese nationals has increased enormously since 2021. There were 1,970 encounters in FY 2022, more than 24,000 in FY 2023, and 24,376 in the first half of FY 2024, according to a May 2024 report by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability. Chang noted that the border initially saw an influx of family groups fleeing to the U.S. from China, and now two thirds of Chinese migrants coming into the U.S. are single men of military age, traveling alone, and claiming they don't speak any English. "And Border Patrol has noticed that in some of these packs, they're coming across in packs between 4 and 15, that everybody in the pack has an identical kit," he said. "That is an ominous sign." Chang noted that the border initially saw an influx of family groups fleeing to the U.S. from China, but now two thirds of Chinese migrants coming into the U.S. are single men of military age, traveling alone, and claiming they don't speak any English. "Border Patrol has noticed that in some of these packs, they're coming across in packs between 4 and 15, that everybody in the pack has an identical kit," he said. "That is an ominous sign." Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department for article source: China expands influence near wealthy Florida enclave as migrants from communist country flood into US
Fox News
11-02-2025
- Business
- Fox News
China expands influence near wealthy Florida enclave as migrants from communist country flood into US
China's growing presence in America's backyard could grant the communist country access to Florida's coast, coinciding with a dramatic rise in Chinese national border encounters. The Caribbean region, also known as "America's third border" due to its proximity to the U.S., has been financially backed by China in maritime logistics and infrastructure projects in recent years. "I think the Chinese are trying to gain influence in a region which is very close to the American homeland," Gordon G. Chang, an author and expert on U.S.-China relations told Fox News Digital. Chang pointed to the $3.4-billion Freeport Container port project in the Bahamas, just 87 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida. A report from the House Foreign Affairs Committee found that China invested over $10 billion in six Caribbean countries between 2005 and 2022. During his inauguration speech, President Donald Trump repeated his desire to retake control of the Panama Canal, the vital strategic waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. "Above all, 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 in his inaugural address. The U.S. controlled it from its 1914 completion until 1999, when it was handed over to Panama under the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties. The treaties permit the U.S. military to preserve the canal's neutrality, allowing the U.S. to perpetually use the canal. Chinese companies have invested heavily in ports and terminals near the canal. A Hong Kong-based company runs two of the five ports close to its entrances. "This is going to take some time because China didn't take over the Canal Zone with soldiers, they took it over with people in business attire with large checkbooks and suitcases of cash," he said. "And the United States needs to come in with cash of its own to drive the Chinese out of the Canal Zone and Panama." The U.S. has for decades turned a blind eye to the Western Hemisphere when it comes to national security, Chang said. But the Trump administration has sought to change that in its first few weeks in office. As evidence, Chang pointed to Secretary of State Rubio's trip to Panama as his first foreign trip as America's top diplomat. "I think that that shows that President Trump's foreign policy, at least initially, will be focused on North and South America," he said. "This is the first time in more than a century that an American president has given his primary principle focus to countries closest to the United States." The increase of China's influence in the west correlates with the rising number of Chinese migrants apprehended at both the northern and southern borders. The number of Chinese nationals has increased enormously since 2021. There were 1,970 encounters in FY 2022, more than 24,000 in FY 2023, and 24,376 in the first half of FY 2024, according to a May 2024 report by the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Oversight, Investigations, and Accountability. Chang noted that the border initially saw an influx of family groups fleeing to the U.S. from China, and now two thirds of Chinese migrants coming into the U.S. are single men of military age, traveling alone, and claiming they don't speak any English. "And Border Patrol has noticed that in some of these packs, they're coming across in packs between 4 and 15, that everybody in the pack has an identical kit," he said. "That is an ominous sign." Chang noted that the border initially saw an influx of family groups fleeing to the U.S. from China, but now two thirds of Chinese migrants coming into the U.S. are single men of military age, traveling alone, and claiming they don't speak any English. "Border Patrol has noticed that in some of these packs, they're coming across in packs between 4 and 15, that everybody in the pack has an identical kit," he said. "That is an ominous sign." Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.
South China Morning Post
05-02-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Any US bid to retake Panama Canal would be prohibitively costly
Published: 8:30pm, 5 Feb 2025 President Donald Trump has recently expressed interest in the US 'taking back' control of the Panama Canal, a statement that raises significant legal and geopolitical questions. The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, came under US control after the signing of the 1903 Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty that granted the US sovereignty over the canal zone. For nearly a century, the US oversaw this vital maritime route connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties paved the way for its transfer to Panama, which was completed on December 31, 1999, in accordance with international law. The Torrijos-Carter Treaties, ratified by both nations, explicitly outline the terms of the transfer and the canal's continued neutral operation. Since 1999, Panama has held full sovereignty over the canal, which remains open to ships of all nations under international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. While the US retained certain military rights, these do not extend to control over the canal. Trump's proposal to take back control of the canal would violate the Torrijos-Carter Treaties and the fundamental principles of territorial sovereignty and self-determination. The US has no legal basis to reclaim the canal without Panama's consent. Any unilateral move is likely to face strong international opposition and erode US credibility as a treaty-abiding nation. Moreover, reversing the 1999 transfer would be impractical, as Panama has exercised full control of the canal for over two decades, and any attempt to alter this arrangement would require complex diplomatic negotiations with little likelihood of success. Given the broad international recognition of Panama's sovereignty, such an effort would also face significant diplomatic resistance, particularly from Latin American nations sensitive to issues of sovereignty and foreign influence. It would be counterproductive to US engagement in Latin America .
