I'm John Baxter. I'm speaking to my good colleagues for the New World reporter Nestar Ujou,

former foreign minister of the Republic of Brazil, and Joseph Umar, executive director of secure free society.

Joseph, you have a piece up with a spectator looking at Panama, the Panama Canal, and how to understand it in terms

of national security, not only of Panama, but also of North America, South America, of the

Western Hemisphere. I add that to the story in these last days from Reuters. Panama President Molino says foreign minister to reject talk of Chinese influence

in meeting with U.S. military official.

Apparently, there's a debate going on about whether China is or is not interfering in some fashion.

That would mean cash as well as challenge, in the Panama Canal Zone.

Your piece points to the Panama Canal Zone, the Panama State itself, being vital for

national security.

How so, Joseph?

Well, it's vital for many reasons, but most importantly is vital because it's a strategic choke point, maritime waterway, that enables upwards of 70% of our container traffic, meaning that everything that comes out, 70% of what transits through the Panama Canazia is either coming or going from a U.S. port.

Oftentimes, there's a port from the east coast of the United States, delivering cargo to the west coast of the United States. So it's the quickest way to go from

one side of our country to the other. It's a major strategic waterway for a lot of countries

in the hemisphere and probably one of the most important in the world. But I think what we're

seeing here with this

discussion about the Panama Canal is something where we have to get to a level of understanding

with our, with our Panamanian friends in that the discussion about China is just the beginning

of the conversation, right? And there's a concern about China and that this has been well documented

and well expressed. And I think even Panama will come to terms with that. But the discussion with the

China about China on the Panama Canal or in Panama in general is just the beginning of that

conversation because the fundamental question, and this is what the point of the article was,

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