The Panamanian government on Thursday described the announcement of the United States that their war ships will not pay for transit the Panama Canal, when the threats of resuming to how to control the interoceanic route, the control of the interoceanic route.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, expressed a press conference at the press conference to the announcement made on Wednesday by the State Department because it is based on “lies” and “an absolute falsehood,” reported international news agencies.
“That is intolerable, simply and simply intolerable,” Mulino said in a energetic tone, who will have a telephone conversation with Trump this Friday afternoon, Panamanian time.
Mulino’s angry reaction occurred after the State Department affirmed, in its account in the social network X, that the Panamanian government agreed to “not charge more rates to the ships of the United States government”, which would represent a “” savings ”of millions of dollars.
“It is not that the toll of the channel is breaking the economy of the United States (…) walk for 6, (o) 7 million dollars per year depending on the number of ships that cross,” said Mulino, referring to the Military ships
Immediately afterwards, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), an independent agency of the government created to administer the aquatic route, denied the US announcement by stating that it had not adjusted any fee.
Through a statement, the ACP said, however, be able to dialogue with the United States “regarding the transit of warships.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FeypCas9Sw
Visiting the Dominican Republic, the last station of his Latin American journey and first abroad since his investiture as head of the State Department, Marco Rubio considered this Thursday “absurd” that ships from the US Navy pay for crossing the Panama Canal.
“It seems absurd to have to pay rates to travel an area that we are obliged to protect in time of conflict. Those are our expectations, ”Rubio told the press.
Jorge Quijano, former administrator of the channel, told the AFP that if Panama did what Washington announced “would violate the treaties” because it would discriminate “in favor” of the United States, without giving the same treatment as to the military ships of other countries. “
The 80-kilometer interoceanic route, opened in 1914 and where 5 % of the world maritime trade passes, was built by the United States and delivered to the Panamanians in December 1999 by virtue of bilateral treaties known as Torrijos-Carter, for being both the Signatories of the Agreement.
The Chinese factor
Meanwhile, with a laconic “No” President José Raúl Mulino answered a question of the press about whether he will break links with China, given Trump’s growing threats to cut the ties.
About a possible reaction to the growing statements of the Republican tycoon to resume control of the interoceanic pathway, due to the alleged influence of Asian power, Mulino indicated that his government will not break diplomatic relations with Beijing, he referred to an office of the press agency Latin
The United States considers a threat to its national security that the company Hutchison Holdings, of Hong Kong, operates, under concession, two ports in the channel entries, because he believes that Beiying could close it in case of a conflict.
Mulino recalled that Panama Ports, a subsidiary of the Chinese company, is under an “comprehensive audit” and will wait for the results to make a decision on the 25 -year concession, established in 1997 and renewed in 2021.
“If they violate the terms of the concession or cause imminent damage to the country, we will act in accordance, but for the moment there is the audit standing,” he said.
Since he won the elections in November, Trump has not ruled out the use of force to resume the control of the channel, which passes 40% of the US container traffic.
According to the administration of the Canal, the United States, with 74% of the load, and China, with 21%, are the main users of the road.
After the pressures of the United States so that Panama moves away from China, Mulino announced on Thursday the cancellation of the Economic Agreement of the Strip and the Silk Route, signed by the then Panamanian Government in 2017 and won in 2026.
