Rubio issues US ultimatum to Panama

(MENAFN) US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has delivered an ultimatum to Panama, urging the country to curb Chinese influence over the Panama Canal or face potential US retaliation. During his first overseas trip as Secretary of State, Rubio met with Panamanian President José Raul Mulino and Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha, conveying concerns from President Donald Trump regarding Panama’s alleged violations of the 1977 treaty, which ensures the canal’s neutrality.

Rubio emphasized that unless Panama takes immediate action to reduce Chinese presence, the US may take necessary measures to protect its rights under the treaty. While Mulino acknowledged the US’s concerns, he rejected any suggestion of an imminent threat to the treaty or the canal’s operation, and he ruled out negotiations on the canal's ownership. However, in a gesture to appease Washington, Mulino announced that Panama would not seek to renew its agreements with China under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative and might even terminate the deal early.

The Panama Canal, built by the US in the early 20th century and handed over to Panama in 1999, has been a point of tension between the two countries. Trump has voiced concerns about China’s growing influence in the region, particularly through infrastructure projects and port operations, which US officials argue could compromise the canal’s neutrality. The ongoing construction of a $1.3 billion bridge by Chinese firms and the operation of key ports by a Hong Kong-based company linked to China have raised alarms over national security.

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