Trump Names Kevin Marino Cabrera as US Envoy to Panama

President-elect Donald Trump speaks during an event in Phoenix on Dec. 22, 2024. JOSH EDELSON/AFP via Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump nominated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as U.S. ambassador to Panama, days after suggesting that the United States regain control of the Panama Canal.

“I am pleased to announce that Kevin Marino Cabrera will serve as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, a Country that is ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account on Dec. 25.

Trump called Cabrera “a fierce fighter for America First principles” who has played an instrumental role in driving economic growth and fostering international partnerships.

Cabrera, who was the state director for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign in Florida, also serves as vice chairman of Miami-Dade’s International Trade Consortium. He has also been the Florida director for the American First Policy Insitute since 2023.

Trump applauded Cabrera for advancing his MAGA agenda as a member of the Republican National Committee’s Platform Committee.

“Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin—He will do a fantastic job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!” Trump wrote.

Responding to Trump’s announcement, Cabrera took to social media platform X to thank the president-elect.

“I’m humbled and honored by your nomination to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to Panama,” Cabrera wrote. “Let’s get to work!”

Trump’s nomination has earned praise from some Republicans in Congress.

Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said he had worked with Cabrera and knew how much the commissioner cares about the future of the United States and freedom in Latin America.

“The U.S. and Panama have a unique relationship and I know Kevin will represent our interests well as Ambassador!” Scott said in an X post.

“Panama is a vital democratic U.S. ally in the region, playing a critical role in combating narcotrafficking, illegal immigration, and standing against oppressive dictatorships,” Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) wrote in an X post.

“I have no doubt Kevin will excel in safeguarding our national security interests.”

Panama Canal

Trump began suggesting that the United States should reimpose control of the Panama Canal on Dec. 21. He criticized Panama for charging “exorbitant prices and rates of passages” for U.S. naval and commercial vessels passing through the canal, while also expressing concerns about the Chinese regime’s growing influence over the waterway.

If Panama cannot guarantee “the secure, efficient, and reliable operation” of the waterway, the United States “will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question,” Trump said at the time.

The Panama Canal, which opened in 1914 after 10 years of construction by the United States, was returned to Panama under a 1977 deal signed by President Jimmy Carter. In 1999, Panama took full control of the canal, which is now one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, connecting the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulin has rejected Trump’s comments.

“Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to Panama, and will continue to be,” he said in a statement on Dec. 22.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has voiced support for Pamana. During a regular press conference on Dec. 23, she said that “the Panama Canal belongs to the Panamanians.”

In a separate post on Truth Social on Dec. 25, Trump accused Chinese soldiers of illegally operating the Panama Canal and “always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’”

Joseph Humire, executive director of the Center for a Secure Free Society and a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said Trump had delivered “a message for China” and he was addressing a previous foreign policy mistake.

“One of the biggest foreign policy blunders in the 20th century was Jimmy Carter’s 1977 transfer of the Panama Canal. Then into the 21st century consecutive U.S. presidents (Clinton, Bush, Obama) made things worse by neglecting and in some cases enabling China’s influence over canal operations, and Latin America writ large,” Humire wrote in an X post on Dec. 23.

The Panama Canal is crucial for projecting American military might, Humire said, for it makes a two-ocean U.S. Navy possible.

Humire said that China realizes how important the waterway is to the United States and “has been “quietly encroaching on the logistical operations of the canal.”

“Begging the question: At what point and to what end can China disrupt the canal to deter the U.S. Navy from responding to global crises, including all scenarios on Taiwan,” Humire added.

“President Trump with a tremendous amount of strategic intuition just raised this incredibly important issue to the top of the national security agenda.”

Reuters contributed to this article.