Panama President José Raúl Mulino has firmly rejected negotiations over the ownership of the Panama Canal, citing it as “impossible”. The statement comes ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is pushing for Panama to kick out a Hong Kong-based company operating ports on either side of the canal.
Mulino emphasized that the canal belongs to Panama and reiterated his willingness to discuss issues like immigration, security, and combating drug trafficking with the US. However, he made it clear that the canal’s ownership will not be up for negotiation.
The move has been part of US President Donald Trump’s priority foreign policy issue in his first days in office, as he criticized the 1977 decision to sell the US-built canal to Panama and raised concerns over high transit fees and Chinese businesses operating key ports.
Rubio described the Hong Kong-based company as a “core US national interest” that requires action from Panama, warning of potential risks if they do not take steps to address it. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining a positive relationship with Panama on issues like migration.
Source: https://thehill.com/policy/international/5118579-panama-president-rejects-negotiations-panama-canal