But there were so few of us.” Two years later, those protests were being attended by hundreds of thousands of Panamanians.

The President accused China of “lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal.” The truth is more complicated.

The American-built canal was turned over to the Panamanians in 1999 and they object strongly to Trump’s demand to hand it back. Mass migration, drugs and hostile policies pursued by Cuba ...

Trump’s envoy suggested the Panamanians start by offering to let U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships transit the canal for free, according to the person, who was granted anonymity to describe sensitive ...

Some experts believe that Trump was simply applying pressure and could declare a win by the United States ramping up investment in the canal -- an outcome that most Panamanians would welcome.