Panama agrees to allow us to military ships to ride first and free ‘through the channel

Secretary Pete Hegset On Wednesday, the US officials and Panama will sign the “frame” of the agreement that will allow us to travel “first and free” through the Panama Canal.

HEGSET said both countries have already signed a memorandum on understanding security cooperation and that they will complete a document that guarantees US military ships and auxiliary court priority, a free passage through the channel.

When Secretary of State Mark Rubio visited Panama earlier this year, the State Department said he had concluded a transaction for the free passage of US warships. But President Panamana Jose Raul Mulin denied that such an agreement had been reached.

“I completely dismiss this statement,” Mulin said at the time. The Panama Chanal Office also stated that “did not make any adjustments” to the structure of the fee.

We have Panama’s “Return” channel influence of China, ”says Ggset

Defense Secretary Pitt Hugset said China’s military presence is “too big” in Panama. (Reuters/Aris Martinez)

Earlier, on Wednesday, Hugset warned that China’s military presence in the Western Hemisphere was “too big” when he visited Panama to meet with the country’s officials, visit us troops and visit the channel ports.

“Don’t go wrong Beijing puts the means And acting in this region for military advantage and unfair economic benefit, ” – a brief remark in the press Hegset said. They work with military facilities and terrestrial stations that distribute their reach into space. They exploit natural resources and land. They steal food from our peoples and our people. “

He added that the war with China is “not inevitable” and the US does not seek war in any form. “Together we must prevent war, strongly and vigorously holding the threats to China in this hemisphere.”

To strengthen military ties with Panama and re -impact on the channel, the US will deploy the USNS Navy hospital ship.

Hegset promised on Tuesday that the US will “take away” the Panama channel from Chinese influence, pointing to the operations of the port operations controlled by Hong Kk Hutchison.

The secretary later stated on Wednesday that he and Panaman officials would sign the agreement that US warships would travel “first and free” through the Panama Canal.

Trump, Gegset reveals the big figure they want for the next Pentagon budget

HEGSET said Panama agreed to allow us to fight “first and free” through the channel. (Reuters/Enea Lebrun/Photo file)

Last month Conglomerate agreed to an agreement on $ 19 billion to sell a group of 43 ports, including two in Panama, based on the US BlackRock,

Trump welcomed an agreement that was regarded as a decision of his complaints that the channel belonged to China, but now this deal could fall apart.

China criticized the deal, Opening antitrust probeAnd the Panaman official accused CK Hutchison of not correcting the contract in 2021 and due to $ 300 million.

After meeting with Moulino Hugset, the United States would not allow China to threaten the channel operations.

“To this end, the United States and Panama have done more than recent weeks to strengthen our defense and security than in the decades,” he said.

We have Panama’s “Return” channel influence of China, ”says Ggset

Defense Secretary Pete Hegset visits Miraflores to the administrator of Panama -Channel Administrator Rikart Vaskes and Adm. Elvin Holsey, head of the US southern command. (Reuters/Aris Martinez)

Hegset hinted at the desks that belong to CK Hutchison. “Chinese companies continue to control critical infrastructure in the channel,” he said. “It gives China the potential for observation in Panama. It makes Panama and the US less safe, less prosperous and less sovereign. And, as President Donald Trump noted, this situation is unacceptable.”

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The Chinese Embassy in Panama retreated: “The United States conducted a sensationalist campaign about the” theoretical threat “in an attempt to sabotage Chinese-panaman cooperation, which only rooted in its own geopolitical interests of the United States.”

The Panama Warri War comes when China and the US are now recorded in a trade war where Trump struck Chinese goods with a total of 104% of tariffs. China avenged 84% of the tariffs for US goods.