Thousands March Against Panama, US Plan05/07 06:25

   

   PANAMA CITY (AP) -- Thousands of Panamanians marched in the capital Tuesday 
in the largest protest yet against an agreement signed during last month's 
visit by U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth giving U.S. troops access to 
strategic air and naval facilities in the Central American nation.

   U.S. President Donald Trump thrust Panama into the spotlight even before 
winning election last November by suggesting that his country should consider 
retaking control of the Panama Canal and accusing Panama of ceding influence to 
China.

   Panama has vehemently rejected those comments but also tried to pacify the 
new administration, which has slapped tariffs on many trade partners.

   University students led Tuesday's protest accusing President Jos Ral 
Mulino of sacrificing Panama's sovereignty with the deal.

   "We feel like our president is acting against the wishes of many Panamanians 
and in very sensitive affairs," 30-year-old student Tony Ruiz said. "He signs 
an agreement behind our back that compromises our sovereignty, our neutrality 
with the world.

   The previous night Foreign Affairs Minister Javier Martnez-Acha said of the 
agreement with Washington: "The memorandum of understanding does not imply a 
surrender of sovereignty, nor does it violate the national constitution, nor 
the neutrality treaty."

   Bases where the U.S. will get access for military personnel and contractors 
will always remain under the control of Panama and it can terminate the 
agreement with six months notice, he said.

   Martnez-Acha said the U.S. government acted in bad faith in how it handled 
the sensitive issue in the media, an apparent reference to Trump's inflammatory 
comments on the canal, but nonetheless Panama was being "prudent" and trying to 
avoid sanctions that have befallen other countries.

   "International cooperation is necessary to strengthen our capabilities," he 
said. "Collaborating with the United States in this case helps us improve 
security without affecting our sovereignty or our laws."

   The details of the deal only became public days after Hegseth's visit.

   In a separate agreement, Panama also agreed to look for a way for the U.S. 
government to be reimbursed for fees its naval ships pay to transit the Canal. 
The Trump administration has argued that it should not be obligated to defend 
the canal and pay to use it.

   The U.S. built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to 
facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts. 
Control of the waterway transferred to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed in 
1977 by President Jimmy Carter.

   The Trump administration has also pressured for the Hong Kong-based operator 
of ports at either end of the canalto sell those interests to a U.S. consortium 
that includes BlackRock Inc.

   While Martnez-Acha suggested that politically motivated opponents are 
stirring controversy, the student protesters expressed concern about a U.S. 
return to a country it invaded as recently as 1989.

   "We are a neutral country; we cannot take sides with any country," said Jam 
Allard, another student.

   "We want our country to be sovereign.