The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, arrived in Panama at the beginning of a tour of almost a week through Central America. Dozens of Panamanians protested in the streets against his visit and the intention of President Donald Trump to recover the channel.
The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, arrived on Saturday night in Panama, as the first stop of his Tour of almost a week through Central Americawith the intention of deepening regional cooperation in migratory, commercial issues and the fight against narcotics.
Before his arrival, dozens of people took to the streets of the city of Panama to protest against him and for the repeated statements of President Donald Trump about recovering control of the channel.
It was received by the Panamanian Chancellor, Javier Martínez-Facha, at Panama Pacific airport.
Rubio, the first Hispanic to occupy the highest position of the American cabinet, plans to meet this Sunday with President José Raúl Mulino at the Las Garzas Palace, and visit the Panama Canal, according to the agenda released by the State Department.
One of the main topics that will address the meeting is expected to be the growing Chinese presence in the Panama Canal, which has generated concern in Washington.
The Mulino government has already said that China does not control the important route that the Atlantic joins with the Pacific and that Panama is impartially administering maritime traffic.
But Rubio warned days before China could potentially block access to the channel in case of conflict.
Mulino has ruled out any discussion about the control of the channel with Rubio and said that “I cannot negotiate and much less open a negotiation process on the channel.” “That is closed. The channel is from Panama, ”he said Thursday.
The channel, built by Americans, was delivered to the Panamanians in 1999 and they firmly oppose Trump's demand to return it.
The tour of Rubio, from February 1 to 6, will take him to El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala and the Dominican Republic.
On the eve, the special envoy of the United States Government for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, highlighted the historical importance of this first Rubio tour after assuming the position.
“This is a historical trip,” said Claver-Carone, who stressed that it is the first time in more than 100 years that the first official visit of a Secretary of State is to Latin America. That reflects President Trump's commitment to the region, he said.
(With AP information)