President Raúl Mulino of Panama strongly criticized the US State Department's recent assertion that Panama had agreed to waive fees for US government ships transiting the Panama Canal. Mulino described the claim as an 'intolerable' falsehood during a news conference on Thursday.
The President expressed his surprise at the State Department's statement, which suggested that US government vessels could now pass through the canal without incurring charges, purportedly saving millions of dollars annually. However, the Panama Canal Authority promptly refuted this assertion, confirming that no adjustments had been made to tolls and fees for canal transit.
In response to the US Department of State's publication, the Panama Canal Authority emphasized its authority to set tolls and fees for canal transit and expressed readiness to engage in dialogue with the US. The Authority's statement contradicted the State Department's claim and underscored Panama's commitment to transparency and accuracy in bilateral relations.
According to data provided by Panama's embassy in Cuba, the US has paid a total of $25.4 million over the past 26 years for the transit of warships and submarines through the Panama Canal, averaging less than one million dollars annually. The discrepancy between the State Department's assertion and the Canal Authority's response has raised concerns about the accuracy of information disseminated by US officials regarding Panama's policies.
