Panama president denies Chinese domination over Panama Canal
Date
12/28/2024 3:20:10 AM
(MENAFN) Panamanian Leader Jose Raul Mulino strongly denied US President-elect Donald Trump’s statement that Chinese troops are taking over the Panama Canal, pointing the claim “nonsense.”
“There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal. You are free, the whole world is free to visit the canal if you please,” Mulino stated at a news meeting on Thursday.
“What [Trump] has said on this issue is nonsense; it does not exist,” he also said.
The controversy started Christmas Day when trump shared on Truth Social, ironically wishing a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal.”
He charged Panama of “ripping off” the US and said the US was being obligated to spend “billions of dollars in ‘repair’ money” with no say about the canal’s missions.
The Panamanian president stressed the canal’s supremacy and discarded Trump’s threats to take domination of the waterway.
“The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable,” Mulino announced, reconfirming Panama’s ownership and control of the canal.
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