Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino ruled out negotiations with US President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday over control of the Panama Canal, denying allegations of Chinese interference in its operations.
Mulino rejected suggestions of reducing tolls for US vessels, following Trump's demand for Washington to reclaim authority over the waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
"There's nothing to talk about," Mulino stated at a press conference, affirming that the canal belonged solely to Panama and its people. He stressed that its ownership came at a significant cost of sacrifices.
The Panama Canal, inaugurated in 1914, was constructed by the United States but transferred to Panama on December 31, 1999, under treaties signed in the 1970s by US President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
Trump had criticised toll rates for US ships, hinting at China's influence. He declared on Truth Social that Panama alone should manage the canal, excluding any foreign involvement.
Trump warned that the US would demand the canal's return if Panama failed to ensure secure and efficient operations.
