The President of Panama announced that there will be no negotiations regarding ownership rights to the canal.

On Thursday, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino announced that there will be no negotiations with the United States regarding ownership rights to the Panama Canal. He hopes that the upcoming visit of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will allow them to focus on other issues based on mutual interests.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Associated Press.

"It's impossible, I cannot negotiate. It's done. The canal belongs to Panama," Mulino stated when asked about the possibility of returning the canal under U.S. control.

The President also expressed that all he wants is to "clear all the debris from the roads, restore order, and have the ability to talk with the United States" about issues such as immigration, security, and combating drug trafficking.

According to AP, Rubio plans to meet with Mulino on Sunday, February 2, and visit the Panama Canal. The publication also notes that it would be significant for Panama to be the site of the first overseas visit by the chief U.S. diplomat; however, the new U.S. Secretary of State will be arriving there as an envoy of American President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly suggested returning the Panama Canal under U.S. control.

Trump's Statements

During his inauguration, Donald Trump accused Panama of failing to fulfill its duties in operating the canal. He believes that, in fact, the canal is being utilized by the PRC and stated that no one had transferred the rights of use of the canal to China.

Trump did not rule out that he might resort to economic or even military methods to regain control over the Panama Canal, as well as Greenland.

For more details, read in RBK-Ukraine's article.