At the American Christmas, US President-elect Donald Trump announced his nomination for the ambassadorship in Panama – a few days after he made demands with a view to the Panama Canal. He appointed Kevin Marino Cabrera, a local politician from Miami Dade County, Florida, where one of Trump’s golf clubs is located.
Cabrera is a “passionate fighter for the principles of America First,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, and: “Few know Latin American politics as well as Kevin.” The person must be confirmed by the US Senate.
Dispute over the Panama Canal
At the weekend, Trump threatened to reclaim control of the Panama Canal if the US did not receive preferential treatment in transit fees. He also now repeated the accusation of being “ripped off” there and criticized China’s influence in the region. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has firmly rejected Trump’s allegations and said the fees would be determined through a transparent process.
The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic with the Pacific and is one of the most important trade routes in the world. The USA built the large-scale project at the beginning of the 20th century and controlled it for decades before administration was gradually handed over to Panama. Today’s fees for canal passage are considered to be standard market rates. There are no regulations that would grant the USA special rights simply because of its historical role as a developer.
Canada and Greenland are also in focus again
Trump also used Christmas Day to repeat well-known positions on Truth Social – as usual, sometimes in capital letters.
With regard to Canada, he explained that as the “51st state” of the USA, the country could benefit from lower taxes and comprehensive military protection. He once again mockingly referred to Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor.” In November, the Canadian head of government visited Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to smooth things over in personal discussions after the Republican threatened high import tariffs on Canadian goods.
Trump once again described Greenland as geopolitically indispensable to the United States and said that the island’s population wanted a stronger presence from the United States. During his first term in office, he had already proposed buying the island, which belonged to Denmark, and incorporating it into the USA.
Two Greenlandic MPs open to cooperation
Both the Greenlandic and Danish governments have firmly rejected Trump’s demands. Nevertheless, two Greenlandic members of the Danish parliament have recently shown themselves open to greater cooperation with the USA.
The huge Greenland with its around 56,000 inhabitants is largely autonomous. Due to its location in the Arctic, its proximity to Russia, suspected mineral resources there and an important US military base, the island is strategically important not only for the USA. In terms of area, Greenland is about six times larger than Germany.
