Panama says it’s unwilling to negotiate canal ownership

Panama President José Raúl Mulino says he will not budge on the issue of Panama Canal ownership during U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s upcoming visit. The deal is done and the canal belongs to Panama, Mulino said at a Thursday news conference.

The United States spent a decade constructing the waterway to facilitate commercial and military water traffic by connecting the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. The United States owned the waterway when it opened in 1914 but relinquished it to Panama in 2000 as mandated under a 1977 treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter. President Donald Trump vowed to reclaim ownership of the canal during his inaugural address earlier this month.

Why does Trump want the canal back? The president alleged that China is illegally running the canal and overcharging U.S. ships and military vessels passing through. Trump previously hinted at using military power to regain ownership of the canal, describing the waterway as essential to retaining America’s economic security. The president also repeatedly highlighted thousands of Americans who died during the canal’s 10-year construction.

What is on the schedule for Rubio’s visit? Trump’s secretary of state is slated to meet with Mulino and visit the canal on Sunday. Mulino hoped the pair would clear the air and discuss issues like immigration and drug trafficking directly.

Dig deeper: Read my report about who Trump hopes will serve as ambassador to Panama.