Page 14 - ab

A5
WORLD NEWS Wednesday 9 april 2025
U.S. defense secretary says China poses a threat to Panama Canal

By JUAN ZAMORANO that maybe the U.S. should
Associated Press take it back.
PANAMA CITY (AP) — U.S. The China concern was
Secretary of Defense Pete provoked by the Hong
Hegseth said Tuesday the Kong consortium holding
Panama Canal faces on- a 25-year lease on ports at
going threats from China, either end of the canal. The
but that together the U.S. Panamanian government
and Panama will keep it se- announced that lease was
cure. being audited and late
Speaking at a ribbon cut- Monday concluded that
ting for a new U.S.-financed there were irregularities.
dock at the Vasco Nuñez The Hong Kong consortium,
de Balboa Naval Base af- however, has already an-
ter a meeting with Panama nounced that CK Hutchison
President José Raúl Mulino, would be selling its control-
Hegseth said the U.S. will ling stake in the ports to a
not allow China or any oth- consortium including Black-
er country to threaten the Rock Inc., effectively put-
canal’s operation. ting the ports under Ameri-
“To this end, the United can control once the sale is
States and Panama have complete.
done more in recent weeks Rubio told Mulino during
to strengthen our defense U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks at Port of Rodman in West Panama, Tuesday, April 8, his visit that Trump believed
2025.
and security cooperation Associated Press that China’s presence in
than we have in decades,” the canal area may violate
he said. makes Panama and the that it was an honor speak- Panama has denied those a treaty that led the United
Hegseth alluded to ports at United States less secure, ing with Mulino. allegations. States to turn the waterway
either end of the canal that less prosperous and less “You and your country’s After Hegseth and Mulino over to Panama in 1999.
are controlled by a Hong sovereign. And as President hard work is making a dif- spoke by phone in Febru- That treaty calls for the per-
Kong consortium, which is Donald Trump has pointed ference. Increased security ary, the U.S. State Depart- manent neutrality of the
in the process of selling its out, that situation is not ac- cooperation will make both ment published on X that American-built canal.
controlling stake to another ceptable.” our nations safer, stronger an agreement had been Mulino has denied that Chi-
consortium including Black- Hegseth met with Mulino for and more prosperous,” he reached to not charge U.S. na has any influence in the
Rock Inc. two hours Tuesday morn- wrote. The visit comes amid warships to pass through operations of the canal. In
“China-based companies ing before heading to the tensions over U.S. President the canal. Mulino publicly February, he expressed frus-
continue to control critical naval base that previously Donald Trump’s repeated denied there was any such tration at the persistence of
infrastructure in the canal had been the U.S. Rodman assertions that the United deal. the narrative. “We aren’t
area,” Hegseth said. “That Naval Station. States is being overcharged Trump has gone so far as going to speak about what
gives China the potential On the way, Hegseth post- to use the Panama Canal to suggest the U.S. never is not reality, but rather
to conduct surveillance ac- ed a photo of the two men and that China has influ- should have turned the ca- those issues that interest
tivities across Panama. This laughing to X and wrote ence over its operations. nal over to Panama and both countries.”q

Congo repatriates 3 Americans who had faced death sentences

over a failed coup plot

CHINEDU ASADU U.S. will shorten their sen- Also repatriated were Tyler custody of prisoners con- the sentence of imprison-
LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — tences. Thompson Jr., 21, a friend of victed abroad, it typi- ment designated by that
The three Americans con- The State Department said the younger Malanga who cally agrees to carry out country.q
victed of participating in it was aware of their trans- flew to Africa from Utah for
a botched coup attempt fer into U.S. custody and what his family believed
in Congo last year have referred questions to the was a free vacation, and
been repatriated to the Justice Department. Benjamin Reuben Zalman-
United States, days af- Among the three Ameri- Polun, 36, who is reported
ter their death sentences cans was 21-year-old to have known Christian
were commuted to life im- Marcel Malanga, son of Malanga through a gold
prisonment, Congo’s presi- opposition figure Christian mining company.
dency said Tuesday. Malanga, who led the The news of their repatria-
The three will serve out foiled coup attempt that tion brought joy to their
their life sentences in the targeted the presidential families.
U.S. following the repa- palace in Kinshasa. The Thompson’s stepmother,
triation done in collabora- elder Malanga, who live- Miranda Thompson, told
tion with the U.S. Embassy, streamed from the palace The Associated Press that
Congolese presidential during the attempt, was they didn’t have all the
spokesperson Tina Salama later killed while resisting details on the return “but Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, left, Marcel Malanga and
said. The presidency said arrest, Congolese authori- we’re so excited to have Tyler Thompson, all American citizens, attend a court verdict in
the Americans left Tuesday ties said. Marcel Malanga him on American soil Congo, Kinshasa, Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, on charges of taking
morning. International law has said his father forced again.” part in a coup attempt in May 2024.
experts say it’s unlikely the him to take part. When the U.S. assumes Associated Press