Panama has announced its decision to terminate its involvement in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This move comes after considerable pressure from U.S. officials, notably President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Rubios choice to visit Central America - Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic - is intentional and meant to drive forward the Trump agenda by paying closer attention to our own neighbourhood.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday warned Panama's President Jose Raul Mulino that Washington will "take measures necessary" if Panama does not immediately take steps to end what President Donald Trump sees as China's influence and control over the Panama Canal.

Rubio did qualify that the agency needs to reform itself and align itself with the policies and priorities of the administration and the State Department and not operate independently of them.

US president Donald Trump appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio as acting administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), confirming the de-facto takeover of the humanitarian agency by the State Department.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk said he is feeding the Washington foreign aid agency "into the wood chipper" as part of an effort to slash federal spending.