Republican presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at the PPG Paints Arena on November 04, 2024 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
OAN Staff Blake Wolf 1:39 PM – Thursday, December 26, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump has declared that Kevin Marino Cabrera, the representative for District Six on the Miami-Dade County Commission, will take on the role of U.S. Ambassador to Panama, a nation Trump has previously admonished for “taking advantage of us with the Panama Canal.”
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Today I cast my Electoral College vote for President Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump.
We are on the verge of realizing unprecedented heights thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership and the determination of the people.
— Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera (@KMCabreraFL) December 17, 2024
“I am excited to announce that Kevin Marino Cabrera will represent the United States as Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, a country that has been unfairly profiting from the Panama Canal, far beyond their expectations,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump characterized Cabrera as a “strong proponent of America First values.”
“In his capacity as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Vice Chairman of the International Trade Consortium, he has played a crucial role in fostering economic development and international collaborations. In 2020, Kevin excelled as my Florida State Director and this year, he furthered our MAGA Agenda as a member of the RNC Platform Committee,” he elaborated.
“Few have a better grasp of Latin American politics than Kevin—he will do an EXCELLENT job representing our nation’s interests in Panama!” Trump emphasized.
Cabrera quickly reacted to Trump’s announcement, expressing, “Thank you, President Trump! I am both humbled and honored by your nomination to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama. Let’s get started!”
Moreover, Trump has recently condemned Panama’s practices of charging the U.S. “outrageous” fees to use the Panama Canal, hinting at a potential reclamation of the canal, given that the U.S. was responsible for its construction from 1903 to 1914 before it was handed over to Panama under Democrat President Jimmy Carter.
Following this, the President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, issued a response to Trump’s assertions, declaring: “Every square meter of the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will remain so. Our nation’s sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.”
Additionally, Trump accused China of “illegally operating the Panama Canal” in a post on Truth Social on Christmas Day.
“Merry Christmas to everyone, including the amazing soldiers of China, who are, with affection, but unlawfully, managing the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 lives during its construction 110 years ago), always ensuring that the United States invests billions in ‘repair’ costs, while having no authority over ‘anything,’” Trump commented.
Trump’s remarks follow his previous suggestions that the U.S. could annex Canada and purchase Greenland. It remains uncertain if Trump was employing hyperbole as an aggressive negotiation strategy or if he genuinely desires territorial expansion for the U.S.
“Also, to Canadian Governor Justin Trudeau, whose citizens currently face excessively high taxes—if Canada were to join us as our 51st state, their tax burden would be reduced by over 60%, their companies would experience immediate growth, and they would receive unparalleled military protection,” Trump noted in the same post.
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