Panama’s President Says There Will Be No Negotiation Over Canal’s Ownership: ‘It’s Impossible’

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is slated to visit the country this weekend.

A tanker ship enters the Panama Canal from the Pacific side on Oct. 25, 2024. Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images

Panama’s president said on Jan. 30 that he would not hold any negotiations about ownership of the Panama Canal, following President Donald Trump’s suggestion that the United States would take ownership of the waterway again.

In his weekly press conference on Jan. 30, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said he wanted to clarify confusion about China’s role in the canal and said Panama controls the canal.