Cross versions on the channel and bad news for China: what left Marco Rubio through Panama

From before his return to the White House, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has fed an expansionist rhetoric that includes “recovering control” of the Panama Canal to stop the alleged Chinese influence on this 80 km interoceanic route that was under Washington’s domain until 1999.

During his visit to Panama last weekend, the head of American diplomacy transferred to President ‘Canalero’ José Raúl Mulino’s intention to take control of the channel and warned that his country will take “measures” if the “influence” continues if the “influence” continues China on that way that joins Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and through which 3% of world trade travels.

Rubio informed Mulino that Trump argues that China’s presence in the Channel area viola a treaty that led Washington to deliver the navigable route to Panama more than 25 years ago. This treaty requires the permanent neutrality of the infrastructure built by Americans.

For his part, Mulino tried to bring positions with Washington and proposed that a “technical team” clarify doubts about the “supposed Chinese presence”, emphasizing that “sovereignty on the channel is not in question.” He also offered to expand a immigration agreement for the United States to use Panama as a bridge to deport irregular migrants from other countries.

In another gesture to lower tensions, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP), an independent agency to the government created to administer this route, told Rubio that they will work with the US Navy to “optimize the priority in the transit of their ships” through the sea.

While Rubio’s visit to Panama concluded without shocks, there was no consensus or joint pronouncement on the future of the channel. So the debate took a turn on Wednesday 5, when the US Department of State announced that the Panamanian government had agreed not to charge more rates to the ships of the United States government that transit the Panama Canal, which, which It would represent a “savings” of millions of dollars.

What initially could be interpreted as an important victory for Washington was quickly denied both by the ACP and Mulino.

“I have to reject that state department statement because it is based on a falsehood (…) that is intolerable, simple and simply intolerable,” Mulino said at a press conference on Thursday 6.

“There are many more interests that unite us that some tolls on the channel, which also do not reach 10 million dollars,” he added.

After Mulino denied the version of Washington, Rubio returned to the load and described as “absurd” that American warships pay for traveling through the channel, although he said he respect the legal processes that Panama must follow.

“It seems absurd to have to pay rates to travel an area that we are obliged to protect in times of conflict,” Rubio said in the Dominican Republic, the last stop of his tour of the region.

Although he denied Washington, the ACP said in a statement to be able to dialogue with the United States “regarding the transit of warships.”

China away?

The tension also translated into bad news for China. Amid the pressures of Washington, the main commercial partner of Panama, Mulino announced Thursday 6 the cancellation of the Economic Agreement of the Strip and the Silk Route, signed by Panama in 2017 and won in 2026.

“I made that decision, and I took it long before the meeting with Rubio, for everything that was in the background, and I have allowed myself to evaluate the bilateral relationship with China,” Mulino said.

The agreement of the Strip and the Silk Route, the emblematic program of the Government of Xi Jinping, contemplates the financing of infrastructure projects with Chinese funds and promotes trade.

Before Mulino announced his decision, on Wednesday 5 China’s Foreign Affairs, Lin Jian, had said that “cooperation between China and Panama in the framework of the Strip and the Route” was developed “normally” . “We hope that the relevant parties will affidence trust, and resist external interference,” he said.

When asked about whether he will break relations with China, Mulino was blunt in stating that he will not and emphasized that no country intervenes in the administration of the channel. “That story, also bad, or malicious, that the Chinese Communist Party is at the control of the channel administration, for the love of God, that do not believe it even if the Panamanians who militarized on the radical left in their moment, ”insisted the Panamanian head of state.

With the tension is up, Mulino reported that this Friday 7 will hold a telephone conversation with Trump. The result of this dialogue could be crucial for the immediate future of the channel.