U.S. Ambassador to Panama Kevin Cabrera on Thursday said that the United States is working together with Panama to eliminate “China’s malign influence” in the Panama Canal.
Cabrera, who took office in early May, spoke with the Colombian television news channel NTN24 about topics of U.S. interest such as control of the Panama Canal and the fight against Chinese influence in the interoceanic trade route in light of the ongoing debate initiated by President Donald Trump in December. Cabrera also touched upon the matter of local criticism of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between both countries in April during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s official visit to the Central American nation.
Ambassador Cabrera prefaced that President Trump does not need a spokesperson or translator, as he “delivers his message directly to the people of the world, whether through Truth Social or his press conferences, and he is perhaps the most transparent president in world history.”
“And he [Trump] has articulated many concerns about the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party in the Canal Zone and in our hemisphere, and we are working with Panama to reduce and eliminate that Chinese influence. It is something that cannot exist,” Cabrera said.
The U.S. diplomat stressed that Chinese influence is not good for Panama, the United States, or the Western Hemisphere, and cited several cases of countries such as Paraguay that have denounced being targeted by Chinese regime-sponsored hackers. Cabrera stressed that “those are things that the Chinese do, not things that the United States does.”
“We are, once again, concerned about our national security and economic security, and it is very important that the canal not be subject to any kind of Chinese influence,” Cabrera said. “More than 70 percent of the ships that pass through that canal in any way are coming from or going to the United States.”
On the subject of local criticism of the MOU signed between Panama and the United States in April, which calls for increased bilateral military activities and more U.S. troops in Panama, Ambassador Cabrera stressed that the memorandum is similar to past agreements signed by the United States with every Panamanian president since the country’s return to democracy. Cabrera condemned critics of the agreement as “intellectually dishonest.”
“All presidents since democracy returned to Panama have signed some kind of MOU with the United States. So these politicians who are coming out and saying no, that it violates sovereignty, are being intellectually dishonest,” Cabrera said.
“The only thing that violates sovereignty is the Chinese carrying out cyberattacks against countries. The only thing that violates sovereignty is Chinese companies that have concessions in the port and owe the people of Panama $600 million. That violates sovereignty. Those are people who do not respect sovereignty,” he added. “So once again, the United States is working to eliminate that Chinese influence, that malign Chinese influence, from the canal, from our Hemisphere.”
Cabrera highlighted to NTN24 that, as a result of the debate initiated by President Trump over the Panama Canal, local authorities launched an audit of the Chinese company operating two ports at the canal which found “$600 million — we’re not talking about 10 million, 5 million — 600 million dollars owed to the people of Panama, which could be used to help the people, but instead that Chinese company has not paid it.”
Asked by NTN24 how many U.S. military personnel are being deployed in Panama, and other security-related details against the Chinese Communist Party’s influence or against possible actions by China, Cabrera simply said that “everything is with Panama and with Panama’s authorization.”
“All these exercises that our army is doing with their security teams, part of the MOU is with Panama’s authorization and with Panama. We are working together,” Cabrera said. “Based on the treaty, there are two countries, only two countries that have to protect the canal, that have that duty in the event of any kind of problem: the United States and Panama.”
“So it is illogical that we do not practice, that we do not conduct exercises together to be prepared,” he added. “It is very important.”
On the subject of possible changes for U.S. ship transit fees, Ambassador Cabrera stressed that both President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have said that it is “absurd” that the United States has to pay to transit through an area that both countries have to protect.
“Imagine hiring a security guard and then charging him to park in your building. It makes no sense. Again, there was a joint statement when Secretary Hegseth visited Panama, in which they said they were looking for a mechanism to do that,” Cabrera said. “Part of my job is to create that mechanism. What I would say is that we, as President Trump has said, will never negotiate against ourselves or publicly, because that’s not how you negotiate based on the media, because it wouldn’t be a good idea.”
“So no, we are negotiating how that mechanism will work. But what I can say is that we are having those conversations and that President Trump, again, has been very clear about his positions,” he added. “We don’t need a translator or spokesperson. My job is to serve the interests of the United States and, as his personal representative, President Trump’s agenda and priorities. And that’s what I’m doing every day.”
NTN24 asked Cabrera if thinks he will be able to convince President José Raúl Mulino to waive transit fees for U.S. commercial ships passing through the canal. “We are going to find a way to fulfill President Trump’s priorities and make him happy. That is my job,” Cabrera said.
Cabrera further elaborated in a separate interview on Thursday with the Spanish news agency EFE that both countries are looking for a mechanism to allow free passage of U.S. military vessels through the canal. He ruled out that President Trump’s administration is being “intransigent” in seeking the transit fee waiver, stressing that there is a signed commitment with the administration of President Mulino to explore those options.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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