The President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, reiterated this Sunday that the interoceanic canal is operated by his country and will continue to be so in the future. Despite concerns expressed by the United States regarding a possible influence of China on the canal, Mulino proposed starting technical-level talks to address these concerns.
Mulino pointed out to journalists that "the canal is operated by our country, President Trump has his opinion about the presence of China, and I cannot change that." In that sense, he expressed the willingness of a technical team to dialogue with the United States and clarify any doubts regarding this matter.
After meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mulino emphasized the importance of preserving Panama's sovereignty in this issue. He added that it is fundamental for them to ensure that the autonomy of the canal is not compromised.
For his part, Marco Rubio warned Panama about the need to implement immediate changes in the Panama Canal, indicating that otherwise, the United States will take measures in this regard. Rubio also mentioned the importance of analyzing Panama's international relations in the context of its geographical location.
Ultimately, Rubio argued that Panama had violated the transfer treaty related to the canal, which generated some tension in the relations between the two countries.
