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PULSE POINTS:
❓What Happened: U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth met with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez on April 8, 2025, reaffirming and expanding U.S.-Panama security cooperation.
📍Where: Panama City, Panama.
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🕰️When: April 8, 2025.
👥Who Was Involved: President José Raúl Mulino, Secretary Pete Hegseth, ACP Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez, Minister Juan Manuel Abrego, and U.S. Admiral Alvin Holsey.
💬Key Quotes: Hegseth “strongly welcomed President Mulino’s commitment to make Panama the first country in our hemisphere to exit the Belt and Road Initiative.”
⚠️Fallout: Panama is doubling down on security cooperation with the U.S., stepping back from China, clamping down on illegal immigration, and reactivating key joint military exercises.
📌Why It Matters: Panama is a strategic chokepoint in global trade. As tensions rise with China, the U.S. is securing access to the Canal, expanding cyber-defense efforts, and resuming