Page 2 - Panama

Panama offers concessions to US after Rubio meets President Mulino

The Panamanian leader played down the tensions but reiterated his country won't give up the canal, as his government offered other concessions to the US

There will be no negotiation about ownership of canal, says Panama's prez

Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said Thursday there will be no negotiation with the United States over ownership of the Panama Canal, and he hopes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's upcoming visit will allow them to focus on shared interests including migration and combating drug trafficking. Being the destination for the first overseas visit by the top US diplomat would have been big for Panama in any case, but Rubio comes as the emissary of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly suggested the US retake the Panama Canal. On the day of his inauguration, Trump claimed that US ships were being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, noting that "above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. He had previously said the US could demand the canal be returned. Mulino tried to downplay the tension at his weekly press conference Thursday. He spoke of wanting to clarify confusion about China's role in the canal a Hong Kong consortium manages ports a

US has options to address Chinese influence in Panama, says official

President Donald Trump has vowed that the United States would take back the Panama Canal but has given no further details on when or how he intended to reclaim the canal

The Gulf of Whatnow? Mapmakers grapple with Trump's renaming plans

What's in a name change, after all? The water bordered by the Southern United States, Mexico and Cuba will be critical to shipping lanes and vacationers whether it's called the Gulf of Mexico, as it has been for four centuries, or the Gulf of America, as President Donald Trump ordered this week. North America's highest mountain peak will still loom above Alaska whether it's called Mt. Denali, as ordered by former President Barack Obama in 2015, or changed back to Mt. McKinley as Trump also decreed. But Trump's territorial assertions, in line with his America First worldview, sparked a round of rethinking by mapmakers and teachers, snark on social media and sarcasm by at least one other world leader. And though Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put the Trumpian Gulf of America on an official document and some other gulf-adjacent states were considering doing the same, it was not clear how many others would follow Trump's lead. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum joked that if Trump went ahe

Can Trump legally rename the Gulf of Mexico and take back the Panama Canal?

Donald Trump has stirred the pot by bringing up the hotly debated ideas of renaming the Gulf of Mexico and 'reclaiming' the Panama Canal. Find out what the law has to say about these proposals

Panama, familiar with US intervention, bristles at Trump's remarks on canal

US President Donald Trump's insistence Monday that he wants to have the Panama Canal back under US control fed nationalist sentiment and worry in Panama, home to the critical trade route and a country familiar with US military intervention. American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, and that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, Trump said Monday. In the streets of the capital, some Panamanians saw Trump's remarks as a way of applying pressure on Panama for something else he wants: better control of migration through the Darien Gap. Others recalled the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama with concern. Panama President Jos Ral Mulino responded forcefully Monday, as he did after Trump's initial statement last month that the U.S. should consider repossessing the canal, saying the canal belongs to his country of 4 million and will remain Panama's territory. Luis Barrera, a 52-year-old cab drive

Panama marks 25 years of Canal handover as Trump wants to take it back

Panama on Tuesday celebrated the 25th anniversary of the US handover of the Panama Canal, which president-elect Donald Trump has threatened to take back. The commemoration was made more poignant by the death on Sunday of former US President Jimmy Carter, who negotiated the 1999 handover deal. On this, such a special day ... a mix of happiness for this 25th anniversary of having the canal in Panamanian hands, and the sadness we feel for the death of former president Jimmy Carter, said Panama's president, Jos Ral Mulino. The ceremony included a moment of silence for Carter, who reached the handover deal with former Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos. Speaking at the main anniversary celebration in Panama City, Mulino said the two men had the vision and nobility to take the road of justice." Meanwhile, Trump is decrying increased fees Panama has imposed to use the waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. He has said if things don't change after he takes office in late January,

Nothing to talk, canal belongs to Panama: Prez Mulino on Trump's threats

Mulino also ruled out lowering canal tolls for US ships and refuted claims that China held any sway over the crucial waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans

Decoded: Why Donald Trump wants to retake control of Panama Canal

Donald Trump's said that the US 'foolishly' ceded the canal to Panama, blaming the 'ridiculous' fee charged to American ships to pass through the channel

US signs deal to help Panama remove migrants who may be travelling north

The United States is going to pay for flights and offer other help to Panama to remove migrants under an agreement signed Monday, as the Central American country's new president has vowed to shut down the treacherous Darien Gap used by people travelling north to the United States. The memorandum of understanding was signed during an official visit headed by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to Panama for the inauguration Monday of Jos Ral Mulino, the country's new president. The deal is designed to jointly reduce the number of migrants being cruelly smuggled through the Darien, usually en route to the United States," National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement Monday. "Specifically, the United States will support Panama's efforts to begin the swift, safe and humane repatriation of migrants who do not have a legal basis to remain in Panama. The efforts to send some migrants back to their homelands will help deter irregular migration in the

Pakistan, Panama, Somalia, Greece elected as UNSC non-permanent members

Pakistan, Somalia, Denmark, Greece and Panama were Thursday elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning 2025. The five members were elected by a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly for a 2-year term starting on January 1, 2025, until December 31, 2026. In the two seats for African and Asia-Pacific States, Somalia got 179 votes and Pakistan 182. In the Latin American and Caribbean States, Panama got 183 votes while in the Western European and other States, Denmark got 184 votes and Greece 182. "Proud moment as Pakistan receives a resounding 182 votes and is elected to the United Nations Security Council for the term 2025-26," Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif posted on X. He said Pakistan was looking forward to working with the international community to address pressing global challenges. "We will continue to play our role in promoting peace, stability, and cooperation among nations," he said. Elected for the 8th time as a .

Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, Somalia set to get seats on UNSC

Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia were set to get seats on the UN Security Council in a secret ballot Thursday in the General Assembly. The 193-member world body is scheduled to vote to elect five countries to serve two-year terms on the council. The 10 non-permanent seats on the 15-member council are allotted to regional groups who usually select their candidates but sometimes can't agree on one. There are no such surprises this year. Last year, Slovenia soundly defeated Russia's close ally Belarus for the seat representing the East European regional group, a vote that reflected strong global opposition to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This time, the regional groups put forward Somalia for an African seat, Pakistan for an Asia-Pacific seat, Panama for a Latin America and Caribbean seat, and Denmark and Greece for two mainly Western seats. The five council members elected Thursday will start their terms on Jan. 1, replacing those whose two-year terms end on D

Mulino becomes Panama President with support from convicted former leader

Mulino, a pro-business right-wing politician, faces a daunting task of mending social divisions and regaining the faith of an electorate fed up with political graft

Panama Papers: Trial's public portion comes to an unexpectedly speedy end

The public portion of a trial of more than two-dozen associates accused of helping some of the world's richest people hide their wealth came to an unexpectedly speedy conclusion on Friday when a Panamanian judge said she would take the two weeks of trial arguments and testimony under advisement. The trial came eight years after 11 million leaked secret financial documents that became known as the Panama Papers prompted the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and brought scrutiny to the then-leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others. Judge Baloisa Marquinez noted on Friday that the case included more than 530 volumes of information. The public trial had been expected to run to the end of the month. The judge has 30 working days to issue a verdict. Those on trial include the owners of the Mossack Fonseca law firm that was at the heart of the 2016 massive document leak. Jrgen Mossack attended the trial, while his

'Panama Papers' trial starts; 27 people charged in money laundering case

The trial of 27 people charged in connection with the worldwide Panama Papers money laundering started Monday in a Panamanian criminal court. Those on trial include the owners of the Mossack-Fonseca law firm that was at the heart of the 2016 massive document leak. The Panama Papers include a collection of 11 million secret financial documents that illustrate how some of the world's richest people hide their money. The repercussions of the leaks have been far-ranging, prompting the resignation of the prime minister of Iceland and bringing scrutiny to the leaders of Argentina and Ukraine, Chinese politicians and Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others. The often-delayed trial opened Monday, with lawyers Juergen Mossack, Ramn Fonseca and other ex-employees of the firm facing money laundering charges. Mossack was present in the courtroom; lawyers for Fonseca said he was in a hospital in Panama. The case centers on allegations the firm set up shell companies to acquire properti

FATF removes offshore tax haven Cayman Islands from its 'grey list'

In its review published on October 27, FATF has added Bulgaria to the grey list

After Mexico, Brazil, India signs MoU on electoral cooperation with Panama

The Election Commission and the Electoral Tribunal (ET) of Panama on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding in Panama City to establish institutional framework for their ongoing cooperation in the field of election management and administration. With this, the Election Commission (EC) has expanded its electoral collaboration with more nations. Earlier, it had signed similar MoUs with Brazil, Chile and Mexico. A three-member EC delegation led by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar held interactions with Presiding Magistrate, Electoral Tribunal of Panama, Alfredo Junc Wendehake, on strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange between the two election management bodies. Eduardo Valdes Escoffery, the first vice presidential magistrate, and Luis A Guerra Morales, the second vice presidential magistrate, of the ET of Panama were also present, the poll panel said. Speaking on the occasion, CEC Kumar said that the MoU reflects the EC's ongoing commitment to engage with

Panama turtles get legal right to live, free passage in healthy environment

On a Panamanian beach long after dark, a group of undergraduate students dug into the sand to excavate a sea turtle nest, their lamps casting a soft red glow as they studied eggs, inventoried the success of the hatch and checked for any surviving hatchlings stuck at the bottom of the nest. Nearby, armed members of the National Border Service stood watch for protection in an area known for drug trafficking. The students worked under the guidance of Callie Veelenturf, who founded a group that works to protect leatherback turtles and pushed for a new law in Panama that guarantees sea turtles the legal right to live and have free passage in a healthy environment. The new law will allow any Panamanian citizen to be the voice of sea turtles and defend them legally, Veelenturf said in a text message as she boarded a plane to Panama City after her group's work near Armila. We will be able to hold governments, corporations, and public citizens legally accountable for violations of the right

Well-positioned to serve as India's hub to LatAm: Panama foreign minister

'Panama may be a small country, but it has long punched above its weight'

Panama approaches 'Pharmacy of the World' India for affordable medicines

The EAM mentioned that Indian project execution has grown across geographies with 'Made in India' and 'Delivered by India' becoming realities globally.