▁cru ise ▁ships , ▁at ▁a ▁project ed ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 5 ▁billion . ▁The ▁plan ▁was ▁approved ▁by ▁public ▁refer endum ▁on ▁October ▁ 2 2 ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁with ▁ 7 8 % ▁of ▁the ▁vote . ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Tor rij os ▁spons ored ▁the ▁Latin ▁American ▁and ▁Car ib bean ▁Congress ▁in ▁Sol id ar ity ▁with ▁Puerto ▁Rico ' s ▁Independ ence ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico ' s ▁independence ▁and ▁made ▁an ▁ener get ic ▁call ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁recogn ise ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Puerto ▁Rico . ▁His ▁administration ▁opposed ▁Colomb ian ▁president ▁Al var o ▁Uri be ' s ▁propos als ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁road ▁through ▁the ▁und e velop ed ▁D ari én ▁G ap ▁connecting ▁the ▁countries , ▁stating ▁that ▁it ▁could ▁damage ▁ec ot our ism ▁in ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Tor rij os ▁negoti ated ▁the ▁Pan ama – Un ited ▁States ▁Trade ▁Prom otion ▁Ag re ement ▁with ▁the ▁administration ▁of ▁George ▁W . ▁Bush . ▁Though ▁rat ified ▁in ▁Pan ama ▁and ▁apparently ▁head ed ▁to ▁rat ification ▁in ▁the ▁US , ▁the ▁agreement ▁was ▁der a iled ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁when ▁fellow ▁PR D ▁member ▁Pedro ▁Miguel ▁González ▁Pin z ón ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Assembly . ▁González ▁Pin z ón ▁had ▁been ▁ind icted ▁by ▁a ▁US ▁grand ▁j ury ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2