China Retaliates After Losing Panama Canal Terminals — Rubio Fires Back

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Panama Canal — China’s next battlefield

China lost the Panama Canal terminals legally — so now it’s punishing Panama economically.

Panama’s Supreme Court declared unconstitutional the nearly 30-year concession held by Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison over the strategic Balboa and Cristóbal terminals.

So Panama handed interim operations to Maersk and MSC.

Beijing’s response was predictable: aggressive inspections and arbitrary detentions of Panamanian-flagged vessels in Chinese ports. Classic CCP playbook. Lose in court. Retaliate in the shadows.

Rubio draws the line on China

Secretary of State Marco Rubio (@MarcoRubio) didn’t wait long to respond. “The sovereignty of our hemisphere is non-negotiable,” he stated.

Then he added that the U.S. is “deeply concerned” by China’s economic pressure following the Balboa and Cristóbal terminal ruling. “The United States fully supports Panamanian sovereignty.”

Monroe Doctrine language. America First in action.

Beijing doesn’t get to bully our allies on its way into the Western Hemisphere — not on Trump’s watch.

Western Hemisphere sovereignty under attack

This isn’t just about shipping terminals. It’s a test.

Can Beijing intimidate a small Latin American nation into reversing a sovereign court ruling?

Every country in the region is watching the answer. Panama stood firm. Washington stood with them. China’s influence operation in Latin America just took a serious blow.

As Proverbs 21:30 reminds us — there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord’s order of justice. Tyrants and empires learn this eventually.

Sovereignty always wins in the end.

Response to @laderechadiario [Replying to: https://x.com/laderechadiario/status/2049458679305629923?s=20]

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