By Simon Lewis and Matt Spetalnick WASHINGTON (Reuters) -When Marco Rubio arrives in Latin America this weekend on his first foreign trip as Donald Trump's secretary of state, he'll find a region reeling from the new administration's shock-and-awe approach to diplomacy.

Panama has owned and administered the Panama Canal for nearly three decades. President Trump wants to change that to counter growing Chinese influence in Latin America.

Colombia stopped resisting President Donald Trump’s deportation of its unwanted nationals. But America First bullying may yet provoke a backlash. The row casts a pall over the first trip abroad by Marco Rubio,

For Panama Canal visitors, here’s a guide to experiencing and understanding the mega engineering project that captivates the world.

There were no Situation Room meetings and no quiet calls to de-escalate a dispute with an ally. Just threats, counterthreats, surrender and an indication of the president’s approach to Greenland and Panama.

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing Tuesday to discuss the issue of foreign influence in the Panama Canal.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino has directly addressed President Donald Trump 's controversial comments regarding the Panama Canal, reaffirming that the waterway unequivocally belongs to Panama.

Often called one of the seven modern wonders of the world, the Panama Canal splits the continents of North and South America and launched a new era in global commerce when it opened in 1914.

The neutrality of the nearly 50-mile canal, through which nearly 15,000 ships transit each year, is enshrined in Panama’s Constitution and is enforced by the autonomous Panama Canal Authority.

President Trump is flexing his muscle just a week into his presidency, using tariffs and sanctions as a leverage tool to enact his agenda, even when it involves U.S. allies. Trump caused a stir

The answer is simple: there is no greater or more idealistic symbol of U.S. power in the world than the Panama Canal. As Trump seeks a way to enhance the country's power in the world, leaning on imagery regarding the Panama Canal provides just the right message.