The Daily Populous Thursday February 6th, 2025 evening edition
Authored by bbc.com and submitted by Slight_Winner7160

Panama denies US claims over free canal passages

8 hours ago Malu Cursino BBC News

Watch: Marco Rubio visits the Panama Canal on first trip as a diplomat

Panama has denied making changes to allow US government vessels to transit the Panama Canal for free, following White House claims it had agreed to such a move. The State Department said in a statement on X that its government vessels "can now transit the Panama Canal without charge fees, saving the US government millions of dollars a year". Responding to the comments, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) said it was "empowered to set tolls and other fees for transiting the canal," adding that it had "not made any adjustments to them". US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced his desire to retake control of the waterway, which is key to global trade.

The 51-mile (82km) Panama Canal cuts across the Central American nation and is the main link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been on a visit to Latin American countries this week, demanded that Panama make "immediate changes" to what he calls the "influence and control" of China over the canal. America's top diplomat said Panama had to act or the US would take necessary measures to protect its rights under a treaty between the two countries. During a visit to the country, Rubio met Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, as well as the canal's administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez Morales. The ACP said after his visit that it had conveyed its intention to work with the US navy to optimise transit priority for its vessels through the canal. This commitment for dialogue with Washington remained, it said in a separate statement on Wednesday.

adacayi on February 6th, 2025 at 14:25 UTC »

He is doing something similar to what RTE does in Turkey. Say something outrageous to appease hos followers, then have his spokespeople something else to soften it. Then that thing does not happen. But to his supporters who only saw the first part he is a hero. Im sure no matter what you do his supporters will believe that Panama is free to US ships.

sniffstink1 on February 6th, 2025 at 12:30 UTC »

Imagine that. Trump government lies about something in order to create a perception of "*so much winning!". Shocker.

mr_mcpoogrundle on February 6th, 2025 at 11:33 UTC »

This is what Trump does though. He creates the perception of a problem, and his minions fall in line to agree it's a problem. Then he either lies about a solution or touts the status quo as a solution he came up with, and his minions fall all over themselves to talk about what a great president he is.