Trump pressures Panama: Tensions rise over Canal control
President Donald Trump has expressed a strong desire to regain control over the Panama Canal. "We're going to take it back or something very powerful is going to happen," he told reporters.
Speaking to reporters shortly after disembarking from Air Force One at Andrews Base, President Trump confirmed that Secretary of State Rubio was in Panama for discussions about the Panama Canal. He condemned the situation, stating that the agreement had been violated and emphasizing that, while the canal was transferred to Panama, it was now under China's management. Trump insisted that such a breach could not be allowed and warned that the U.S. would either reclaim control or take decisive action in response.
It's worth noting that on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Panama, where he met with the country's president, Raul Mulino.
Following the discussions, the State Department issued a statement indicating that Secretary Rubio had informed President Mulino and Minister of Foreign Affairs Martinez-Acha of President Trump's initial assessment. He determined that the Chinese Communist Party's current level of influence and control over the Panama Canal area threatened the canal and violated the treaty, ensuring its permanent neutrality and operation.
Rubio stated that this situation is "unacceptable" and warned that "absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the treaty."
Nonetheless, the U.S. Secretary of State expressed gratitude for the "constructive" discussions, as well as Panama's efforts to reduce migration through the Darien Gap, a key part of the migratory route to America.
A firm response from Mulino
At a press conference following the meeting, Panama's President Raul Mulino suggested that he might prematurely end the agreement with China regarding its participation in the Belt and Road infrastructure project, which the country joined in 2018 under former President Juan Carlos Varela.
Mulino also noted that the Panamanian authorities are conducting an audit of the Panama Ports Company, a company affiliated with China that operates two ports around the canal. "We have to wait until that audit ends before we can reach our legal conclusions and act accordingly," Mulino said.
At the same time, he ruled out the possibility of returning the canal to U.S. control, stating that Panamanian sovereignty over the passage "is not up for debate."
The President of Panama also stated that he does not believe that, despite President Donald Trump's threats, there is a real risk of the use of military force by the United States to retake the canal.
