​​Hegseth says Panama agreed to allow US warships to travel ‘first and free’ through canal

SecretaryofDefensePeteHegsethsaystheUSandPanamahavemademovestostrengthentiesandremove‘China’sinfluence’fromcanal. DefenseSecretaryPeteHegsethannouncedWednesdaythatU.S.andPanamaofficialswouldsigna“framework”agreementallowingU.S.warshipstotravel“firstandfree”throughthePanamaCanal.  HegsethsaidthetwocountrieshadalreadysignedamemorandumofunderstandingonsecuritycooperationandthattheywouldfinalizeadocumentguaranteeingU.S.warshipsandauxiliaryvesselspriority,toll-freepassagethroughthecanal. WhenSecretaryofStateMarcoRubiovisitedPanamaearlierthisyear,theStateDepartmentclaimedithadsecuredadealforthefreepassageofU.S.warships.ButPanamanianPresidentJoséRaúlMulinodeniedanysuchagreementhadbeenreached. “Icompletelyrejectthatstatement,”Mulinosaidatthetime.ThePanamaCanalAuthorityalsosaidithad“notmadeanyadjustments”toitsfeestructure. US,PANAMA‘TA