Panama City - Saba:
Panamanian President Jose Raul Molino rejected Wednesday the words of US President Donald Trump, in which he said that Washington has begun to regain control of the Panama Canal, accusing the US President of lying.
The Panamanian President wrote on the "X" platform President Trump is lying again. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being transferred to anyone's control, not to mention that this was not discussed in our talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio or anyone else.
Molino added "On behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, I reject this new insult to the truth and to our dignity as a nation. The Canal is Panamanian and will remain Panamanian."
He pointed out that cooperation between the governments of Panama and the United States is based on clear agreements on issues of common interest.
Trump had announced during his inauguration speech on January 20 his intention to take control of the Panama Canal, and US Secretary of State Rubio visited Panama on February 2 and told Molino that Trump did not want to maintain the status quo regarding the Panama Canal given China’s alleged growing influence in the region.
Then, the Panamanian president announced that his government would not renew the Memorandum of Understanding with China on the Belt and Road Initiative.
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