Panamanian President José Raul Mulino on Thursday ruled out negotiations with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump over control of the Panama Canal, denying that there are Chinese soldiers stationed at the Panama Canal.
In a Christmas Day message, Trump wished a merry Christmas to “the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal” and “making certain that the United States puts in Billions of Dollars in ‘repair’ money, but will have absolutely nothing to say about anything.”
Trump has also said he did not want the Panama Canal “falling into the wrong hands” and specifically cited China.
But Mulino refused the accusation in a press conference on Thursday, saying there is no truth to the claim Chinese soldiers are operating the canal.
Mulino said that there is “absolutely no Chinese interference.”
Panama president in a statement shared on social media noted that “every square meter” of the canal “belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama.”
“We’ll see about that!” Trump wrote online in response.
The president’s comments come days after Trump, who takes office next month, threatened to take back control of the Panama Canal.
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S.,” Trump said.
He accused Panama of “ripping off” the US and suggested the US was being forced to spend “billions of dollars in ‘repair’ money” with no say about the canal’s operations.
Trump threatened to take over the canal “if the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed.”
In a series of social media posts over the past week, Trump said that: “When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else. It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage.”
From his side Mulino responded that “the sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.”
He also added that “Rates are not a whim. They are and will be established, publicly and in an open audience, considering market conditions, international competition, operating costs and the maintenance and modernization needs of the interoceanic waterway.”
Trump has spent parts of the holiday season vowing to take over the Panama Canal, and suggesting Canada could become the 51st state.
Trump in a separate post also suggested the idea that Greenland is needed by the United States for national security purposes. “Likewise, to the people of Greenland, which is needed by the United States for National Security purposes and, who want the U.S. to be there, and we will,” he said.
He’s also joked about Canada being a U.S. state. “Also, to Governor Justin Trudeau of Canada, whose Citizens’ Taxes are far too high, but if Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60%, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World.”
It all suggests Trump is focused on somehow expanding the U.S. on his watch, though it is unclear and hard to tell how serious it all is.
