Secretary of State Marco Rubio embarks soon on his inaugural trip as the United States’ top diplomat. His first stop, Panama could prove to be the most contentious on the itinerary.

Panama President José Raúl Mulino says there will be no negotiation with the United States over ownership of the Panama Canal. He also says that he hopes U.S.

During Monday’s inauguration, Donald Trump repeated his threat to retake the Panama Canal. The United States controlled the waterway since the early 20th century, but in 1977 President Jimmy Carter signed a landmark treaty to give Panama control of the canal.

Panama took full control of the canal in 1999, which it operates through the Panama Canal Authority (PCA). In December, Mr Trump threatened to seize control of the canal, declaring the waterway as vital to America’s security and economic interests but it was being run in a “very unfair and injudicious way”.

In recent weeks, when he was President-elect Donald Trump publicly said that Panama should return the Panama Canal to the United States, and he would not rule out using military force to reclaim it. At his presidential Inauguration on Monday Trump doubled down on saying that his new administration was going to take back the canal.

The Panamanian leader added he will not allow his country’s “total superiority” of the shipping channel to be lessened.

When the Panama Canal was unveiled by the United States in 1914, the roughly 50-mile-long waterway symbolized American power and technological advancement. But the glow of progress soon faded. Building the canal killed roughly 5,

In his first interview, President Trump's newly appointed head of the Federal Maritime Commission, Louis Sola, lays out how the administration plans to challenge Chinese influence at the key global trade gateway,