This is John Batchel, a conversation with a colleague Mary Anastasio Grady.

China is invited out of Panama.

That's a decision by the Panamanian Supreme Court.

Those are the facts right now.

The exaggerated remarks about China's influence in Panama are moot. Here's Mary to explain.

Well, I think that we need to know what we've got right now and make sure that we have

an agreement with those in power. But the status quo is really a temporary solution that's

got to be if we want a staple democracy there. What's most important is that we

build the conditions that makes the diaspora of Venezuela, the 8 million people that left

return. Because in order to have any level of economic development here, you're going to need

the professional class, the middle class, the vibrant class that was building Venezuela

before Chavez and Maduro took over, return vibrant class that was building Venezuela before Chavez and

Maduro took over, return. And that's the long-term plan. To do that, you need to have a plan

after the status quo. And that means addressing the narco challenge, addressing democracy, and

addressing corruption.