Rubio warns Panama of US action without ‘immediate changes’ on canal
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Panama’s President Jose Mulino and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arriving for a meeting in the presidential palace.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PANAMA CITY - US Secretary of State Marco Rubio Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Feb 2 warned Panama that it would face action from the US unless it makes “immediate changes” on the Panama Canal, alleging it had violated the handover treaty.
Meeting President Jose Raul Mulino, Mr Rubio “made clear that this status quo is unacceptable and that absent immediate changes, it would require the United States to take measures necessary to protect its rights under the treaty”, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said.
Mr Rubio told Mr Mulino that President Donald Trump “has made a preliminary determination that the current position of influence and control of the Chinese Communist Party over the Panama Canal area is a threat to the canal and represents a violation of the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Panama Canal”, Ms Bruce said.
Mr Trump has refused to rule out military force to seize back the Canal.
Small but intense protests broke out in Panama ahead of Mr Rubio’s visit, with police firing tear gas.
Protesters burned an effigy of Mr Rubio wearing a red, white and blue suit and held up pictures of him and Trump before a Nazi flag.
“Rubio, get out of Panama,” around 200 demonstrators chanted as the former senator met Mr Mulino. Police prevented the crowd from approaching the Old City.
“To the imperial messenger,” union leader Saul Mendez said of Mr Rubio, “we reiterate that there is absolutely nothing here for Trump. Panama is a free and sovereign nation.”
Demonstrators protesting against the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Panama City on Feb 2.
PHOTO: AFP
Panama rules out debate
Mr Mulino stressed that sovereignty over his nation’s namesake canal is not up for debate after talks with Mr Rubio on Feb 2, but he outlined the possibility of repatriating more migrants.
In remarks to reporters, Mr Mulino suggested a possible expansion of an existing agreement with the US from July that could pave the way for direct deportations of non-Panamanian migrants who cross the Darien Gap jungle on Panama’s southern border with Colombia. He insisted, however, that the US government would need to cover the cost.
Over the past few years, the area has seen a surge of US-bound migrants.
The Panamanian leader noted that such an expanded deal could potentially allow for the deportation of migrants from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador.
“We spoke extensively about the problem of migration, with the understanding that Panama is a transit point,” said Mr Mulino, after his meeting with Mr Rubio.
Mr Mulino’s talks with Mr Rubio, Mr Trump’s top diplomatic envoy, mark a first stop for Mr Rubio on a tour of several Central American nations as well as the Dominican Republic over the next few days. AFP, REUTERS
