Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarks soon on his inaugural trip as the United States’ top diplomat. His first stop, Panama could prove to be the most contentious on the itinerary.

When Marco Rubio arrives in Latin America this weekend on his first foreign trip as Donald Trump's secretary of state, he'll find a region reeling from the new administration's shock-and-awe approach to diplomacy.

President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino shared his thoughts on the canal’s and the country's future with the United States.As per Associated Press, during his weekly press conference on Thursday, the president revealed he

Newly inaugurated U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing to "take back" the Panama Canal, the world's second busiest interoceanic waterway.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says President Donald Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland and retake control of the Panama Canal is driven by legitimate national security interests stemming from growing concerns about Chinese activity and influence in the Arctic and in Latin America.

President Trump said of the Panama Canal, “We’re taking it back.” The letter from Panama cited articles of the U.N. charter that prohibit member states from using threats and force.

Panama has owned and administered the Panama Canal for nearly three decades. President Trump wants to change that to counter growing Chinese influence in Latin America.

Stephanie: In response to Trump’s inauguration speech, Panama President José Raúl Mulino said that “ the canal is and will remain Panama’s .” As you noted, Trump has already floated the idea of using military force to retake the canal. Do you think this could actually come to pass?

President Donald Trump's suggestion of the U.S. taking control of the Panama Canal has a legal basis partly due to potential treaty violations involving Chinese activities in Panama.

In recent weeks, when he was President-elect Donald Trump publicly said that Panama should return the Panama Canal to the United States, and he would not rule out using military force to reclaim it. At his presidential Inauguration on Monday Trump doubled down on saying that his new administration was going to take back the canal.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserts that President Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland and reasserting control over the Panama Canal stems from legitimate national security threats posed by China’s growing influence in these strategic areas.