Panama President Jose Raul Mulino on Thursday refused to negotiate with the United States on the ownership of the Panama Canal as he prepares to host Donald Trump’s state secretary Marco Rubio.
In his inaugural address on January 20, Trump alleged that China was effectively “operating” the waterway that was handed over to the Central American nation by the United States in 1999.
“We did not give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we are taking it back,” Trump said.
But Mulino said that it is impossible to open a conversation on the ownership of the canal. “
He said in his weekly press conference, “I cannot talk, a process of conversation on the canal is very low. (The case) has been sealed. The canal is Panama.”
The United States of the United States has complained to the United Nations on Trump’s threat.
Nevertheless, Mulino said that there are common issues such as migration and organized crime and drug trafficking fights that they will be happy to discuss with Rubio when they arrive in the coming days.
“We are ready to talk with respect and very clearly … with the Secretary of State,” the President said without giving the date for the meeting.
Rubio’s first visit as Trump’s top messenger will take him to Panama, Al Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Dominican Republic.
The journey comes amid high stress between Latin America and Washington’s large -scale plans for large -scale exile of Trump, out of the area, most of which come from the region.
Despite the stress, Mulino insisted that Panama had “privileged relations” with the United States, “not China.”
“Relationship with the United States is strong, it has always been, there is ups and downs, love and hatred, but always a strong relationship that … has allowed us to overcome very, very complex situations Is, “He said.
Manufactured by the United States and opened in 1914, the canal was administered by the US until 1977, when Panama was signed treaties under the then US President Jimmy Carter for his handover.
Since 1999, the canal has been managed by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) – an autonomous body whose board of directors is appointed by the Legislature and the Speaker of the Panama.
The I of the Storm has a private Panama Ports company-a concession was given to operate ports at the peak of 82-kmme (51-mile) waterway, a subsidiary of Congress-based Congress-based Congress Hachison Holdings.
PPC does not take any decision on shipping routes.
The ports “are not under control of the governments or military forces of any nation,” Mulino insisted who also rejected any suggestions of intervention in the administration of the canal.
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