President-elect Donald J. Trump on Wednesday named a Florida county commissioner to serve as his ambassador to Panama, a few days after Mr. Trump called for the United States to assert control over the Panama Canal.
Kevin Marino Cabrera, the District 6 commissioner of Miami-Dade County and the vice chairman of its International Trade Consortium, worked for the Trump campaign in 2020 and won Mr. Trump’s endorsement in January when he ran for vice chairman of the Florida Republican Party. This year, he served as the state’s representative to the Republican National Committee platform committee.
“Few understand Latin American politics as well as Kevin,” Mr. Trump wrote on social media. “He will do a FANTASTIC job representing our Nation’s interests in Panama!”
Mr. Trump has said the United States could demand the return of the Panama Canal if the Central American country did not reduce the fees it charges American ships. In announcing his pick of Mr. Cabrera, he accused the country of “ripping us off on the Panama Canal, far beyond their wildest dreams.”
The Panama Canal is an artificial waterway of about 50 miles that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans through the country. It is considered a vital link in global shipping, saving thousands of miles and weeks of travel around the tip of South America. The United States controlled the canal from when it was completed in 1914 until 1979, when President Jimmy Carter passed control to the Panama Canal Commission, a joint agency of the two countries. Complete control of the canal passed to Panama in 1999.
Mr. Trump has expressed concern that the canal could fall into the “wrong hands,” an apparent reference to China, the second-largest user of the canal. A Hong Kong-based firm controls two ports near the waterway, but China has no control over the canal itself.
In another social media post earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Trump wrote, “Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago), always making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about ‘anything.’”
President José Raúl Mulino Quintero of Panama has pushed back against Mr. Trump, saying in a video message this week, “As president, I want to express clearly that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone is part of Panama, and it will continue to be.”
Mr. Cabrera’s views on the Panama Canal are unknown, but in a social media post on Wednesday, he thanked Mr. Trump for the appointment and wrote, “Let’s get to work!”
Mr. Trump has previously described Mr. Cabrera, a former lobbyist and political operative in Florida, as “a fearless America First Conservative who has demonstrated his dedication to the MAGA movement.”
Also this week, Mr. Trump named John Arrigo, the vice president of the Arrigo Auto Group, as his ambassador to Portugal. The company operates in West Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump frequently stays and hosts meetings at his club, Mar-a-Lago.
“John is a highly successful entrepreneur in the automotive industry, and a champion golfer,” Mr. Trump said in a social media post announcing the pick. “For over thirty years, he has been an incredible leader in business in West Palm Beach, and is respected by all.”
The president-elect also announced Somers Farkas as his ambassador to Malta, describing her as “a model, philanthropist, documentary producer, and very successful businesswoman.” Ms. Farkas previously served on Mr. Trump’s Commission on White House Fellowships.
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