Donald Trump’s top diplomat has walked back a claim that Panama agreed to waive canal tolls for US government ships.
But Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, said it is absurd for US warships to pay tolls in the Panama Canal since they are treaty-bound to defend it.
Rubio told reporters that the US delegation he recently led to the Central American nation had the “expectations” that the tolls would be waived.
“But I respect very much the fact that Panama has a process of laws and procedures that they need to follow as it relates to the … Panamanian canal authorities. We’ll allow them to work through those processes,” he said.
“We intend to make it amicable, the way our visits were.”
Rubio visited Panama, including the canal, on Sunday as the first stop on his first international trip as secretary of state.
The visit came on the heels of threats by Trump to retake the Panama Canal and allegations that China controls it — which counterpart Jose Raul Mulino denied.
Mulino announced that his country would pull out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, but he rejected the state department’s claim that Panama had agreed to waive canal tolls during the visit.
Speaking during a visit to the Dominican Republic, Rubio said on Thursday that “strong first steps” were made during the Panama trip.
But he pointed out that Washington has a treaty with Panama that would require the US to defend the canal.
“That treaty obligation would have to be enforced by the armed forces of the United States, particularly the US Navy,” he said.
“I find it absurd that we would have to pay fees to transit a zone that we are obligated to protect in a time of conflict.”
Trump was scheduled to speak to Mulino on Friday.(Copyright)
