Neither of McCain’s parents was Panamanian. Cruz’s father was Canadian at the time of his birth. Under Canada law, he was considered a natural born Canadian.
Now you’re jumping to a different standard than the one you first stated.
If a foreign government considers a U.S. citizen to also be a citizen of the foreign country, that is irrelevant to one’s eligibility to be POTUS.
Otherwise, any country in the world could disqualify a U.S. presidential candidate. For example, Putin could announce tomorrow that Trump is also a “natural born” Russian citizen. Applying your shifting standard of eligibility, that would disqualify Trump from being elected POTUS.
I’m in the process of becoming a citizen in another country in addition to being a natural born U.S. citizen. The U.S. federal government does not want me to renounce U.S. citizenship (and I have no plans to do so) because Uncle Sam wants my tax revenues (which I pay).
That a second country bestows citizenship upon me does not disqualify me from running for POTUS (although I have no interest in doing so).
The fact that Cruz Sr had the intentions of living as a citizen of Canada and not in America puts Cruz Jr strongly in the Canadian camp..
To be naturalized in any country and give up ties to the original birth country is a big step and Cruz was eligible at that time to eventually become an American...
However in choosing to be a Canadian, he indicated he was planning to settle in Canada and not return to the US..plus he remained a Canadian for most of his life..never once voting in America ...or bothering to enjoy the other privileges of citizenship...did he vote in Canada ??? pay taxes to Canada ???
There is no plausible explanation for this other than his heart was with Canada until his son’s political ambitions persuaded him to change his loyalties to this country...
There appears to be nothing that would have stopped him from becoming an American citizen at any time during the last 40 years...
and nothing to stop his grown up Constitutional expert son from getting rid of his own Canadian ties...
why did they wait so long ???
Political expediency stinks and this is a smelly example...