United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday that former US President Barack Obama's administration is to blame for China's influence in South and Central America, including the Panama Canal.
"The Obama administration took their eye off the ball and let China just sweep in, all over South and Central America, with their economic and cultural influence, cutting deals with local governments for bad infrastructure, surveillance, and indebtedness. [US] President [Donald] Trump said: 'Not anymore, we're taking our backyard back.'," Hegseth said in an interview with Fox News. "China did not build this canal. China does not operate this canal. and China will not weaponize this canal. Together, we will take back the canal from China's influence," he added.
The secretary noted that he participated in the conference of Central and South American countries in Panama to express the US commitment to investing in "ways that serve American interests in our backyard."
