US President Donald Trump had to postpone his scheduled phone call with Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino due to some unexpected changes in his agenda, Panama’s government announced on Friday. A new date for the call is to be coordinated and shared later, according to the Panamanian foreign ministry.
The delay is at a moment when tensions increase after the US claims that it vessels can go through the Panama Canal without having to pay the fee. Mulino has seriously rejected the claims, calling them lies and false statements. He dismissed claims of the canal belonging to China and any military existence there.
The Panama Canal remains under the jurisdiction of the Panama Canal Authority-an independent agency directly governed by the Panamanian government.
Leaders had earlier intended to have their talk at 3:30 p.m. local time Friday. Progress comes after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in which Mulino said that Panama will not extend their deal to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative, an international infrastructure program.
