PANAMA CITY:
Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino firmly rejected any discussions with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump over control of the Panama Canal, following Trump’s recent remarks about demanding its return to the U.S.
Mulino also dismissed the idea of reducing tolls for U.S. vessels and denied any Chinese influence over the crucial waterway that links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
“If there’s a desire for talks, there’s nothing to discuss,” Mulino stated during a press briefing. “The canal is Panamanian and belongs to the Panamanian people. There’s no room for negotiation on that reality, which has cost us dearly.”
The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, was originally built by the U.S. but was handed over to Panama in 1999 under treaties signed by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
Trump had criticized what he called “unfair” fees for U.S. ships and raised concerns over China’s growing influence in the region. He warned that if Panama couldn’t ensure the canal’s security and efficiency, the U.S. might demand its full return.
Mulino countered that the canal’s fees were determined by a transparent, established process, not by presidential whim, and reiterated there was no Chinese involvement in canal operations.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE