President Mulino reaffirms Panama's sovereignty over canal ahead of Rubio's visit

Record ID: 1955955

  • Title: President Mulino reaffirms Panama's sovereignty over canal ahead of Rubio's visit
  • Date: 30th January 2025
  • Summary: PANAMA CANAL, PANAMA (FILE - MAY 2024) (REUTERS) CARGO SHIP ENTERING LOCKS VARIOUS OF SHIP TRAILERS, GUIDING THE CARGO SHIP THROUGH THE CANAL LOCKS
  • Embargoed: 13th February 2025 19:37
  • Keywords: Panama Panama Canal Trump threats U.S. expansionism
  • Location: PANAMA CANAL AND PANAMA CITY, PANAMA
  • City: PANAMA CANAL AND PANAMA CITY, PANAMA
  • Country: Panama
  • Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,South America / Central America,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA007760830012025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday (January 30) ruled out discussing control over the Panama Canal in a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is set to visit the Central American country in his first official trip abroad this weekend.
    Mulino's comments during a weekly press conference come after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to take control of the canal, claiming it is being operated by China. The Panamanian government strongly denies the accusation.
    The canal, an 82-km (51-mile) artificial waterway that connects the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is key to global trade flows, is operated by the Panama Canal Authority - an autonomous agency overseen by the Panamanian government.
    The United States built the canal in the early 20th century and handed control to Panama in 1999, two decades after signing a set of treaties guaranteeing its permanent neutrality.
    But Trump has said that this treaty is being violated, claiming China controls the canal and has soldiers there, without offering evidence. He also argues that the United States is being overcharged for transit through the canal.
    The canal is operated by Panama, two ports at its Atlantic and Pacific entrances are operated by publicly listed Hong Kong company CK Hutchinson, while other ports nearby are operated by private firms from the United States, Singapore and Taiwan.
    Asked whether Panama could remove concessions from companies linked to China, Mulino said this was not on the table, and said the government was awaiting the results of an audit into CK Hutchinson's payments to the state, an audit that was announced shortly after Trump's accusations.
    (Production: Diego Delgado, Hugo Monnet)
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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