Panama’s President Raúl Mulino met with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to discuss key issues, including the Panama Canal, Chinese influence, and migration policies. Mulino reaffirmed Panama’s sovereignty and announced that his government will not renew the 2017 Belt and Road Initiative memorand
Panama’s President Raúl Mulino held talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday, addressing concerns over the Panama Canal, Chinese influence, and regional migration policies.
Speaking after the meeting, Mulino described the discussions as "cordial and respectful", emphasizing Panama’s strategic relationship with the U.S. while defending the country’s sovereignty over the canal.
Mulino addressed U.S. concerns over China’s involvement in Panama, particularly in relation to ports near the canal. He stated that for the first time since the 1997 concession, two Chinese-owned ports are undergoing audits by Panamanian authorities.
"We have to wait for the audit process to conclude before drawing legal conclusions and acting accordingly," Mulino said.
He also confirmed that the Panama Canal remains under national control, responding to recent remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed concerns over Chinese presence in the region.
"The canal is operated by our country and will continue to be so," Mulino stated.
Mulino and Rubio also discussed expanding the memorandum of understanding signed with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in July 2024 to strengthen migration controls.
The agreement focuses on the repatriation of migrants from the Darién Gap, a key transit route for people traveling from Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. Mulino offered Panama’s Nicanor track in Metetí, Darién as a repatriation hub.
Mulino confirmed that his government will not renew the 2017 memorandum of understanding on China’s Belt and Road Initiative, signaling a shift in Panama’s economic and diplomatic stance.
With U.S.-Panama relations under renewed focus, the meeting highlighted the region’s growing geopolitical tensions, particularly over China’s role in Latin America and the strategic importance of the Panama Canal.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was st...
Greenland and Antarctica have shed a combined 11.3 trillion tonnes of ice since 1979, according to the most comprehensive satellite study of the pl...
Saudi Arabia’s 1,200‑kilometre East‑West pipeline Petroline has been forced to suspend service after militant attacks damaged three pumpi...
Saudi Arabia said its air defences destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it could enter prohibited airspace over the holy city, as attacks by the Iran-aligned group deepen regional tensions.
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was carrying out tests on a new weapon to intercept drones and had recorded a successful hit overnight.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he hoped the war against Iran was nearing its end and that Tehran wanted to reach a deal, but Iran dismissed his comments as “mixed signals” as the conflict approaches its seventh month.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Navy said a Togo-flagged oil tanker was struck while attempting to make an “illegal passage” through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said early on Friday.
Saudi Arabia’s 1,200‑kilometre East‑West pipeline Petroline has been forced to suspend service after militant attacks damaged three pumping stations in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. The line can move about seven million barrels a day, but the damage could take five to six weeks to repair.
Three students were killed in a school shooting in the southern Philippines on Friday, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman who turned the gun on himself, provincial officials said.
The European Union will disburse €3.3 billion ($3.8 billion) to Ukraine for missiles and drones, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said after a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Russian air strikes injured 13 and damaged buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and in the Black Sea port city of Odesa in the early hours of Thursday, officials said on the Telegram messaging app.
An Afghan national linked to an Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has been sentenced to 20 years in prison in connection with the 2021 Kabul airport suicide bombing that happened during a chaotic scene as the Taliban retook the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment