U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a bilateral meeting with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, stating that the Trump administration respects the relationship with Panama and considers it an allied country. Rubio and Mulino discussed reinforcing bilateral cooperation programs between the two nations. As part of this new era of relations with the U.S., American companies will have greater participation in bidding processes in Panama. These remarks followed the signing of the 'Shield of the Americas' agreement, involving the U.S. and 12 American countries to defend democracy and combat drug trafficking. During the signing, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he 'loves the canal', signaling an end to any disputes over its operation.
