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Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has vehemently denied claims by US President Donald Trump that Washington has started the process of reclaiming the Panama Canal.
Mulino accused Trump of lying in response to his statements made in a speech to Congress on Tuesday, where Trump said, “We’re taking it back.”
Mulino took to the social media platform X, rejecting Trump’s assertion and emphasising that the Panama Canal is not being reclaimed by the US.
He stated, “Once again, President Trump is lying. The Panama Canal is not in the process of recovery,” and called it an affront to Panama’s dignity.
Trump’s remarks followed a deal in which Hong Kong-based Hutchison agreed to sell its Panama Canal ports to a US-led consortium, a move that Trump claimed was part of efforts to regain control over the strategically vital waterway.
The Panama Canal, which handles five per cent of global maritime trade, has been operated by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) since 1999.
Mulino’s response underscores the sensitivity of the issue, as Panama firmly maintains sovereignty over the canal, with the board of directors of ACP appointed by the Panamanian government.
Trump has previously criticised China’s influence over the canal, but Beijing has denied any interference.
