"The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored" by the United States government, as claimed by President Donald Trump, denies José Raúl Mulino, the leader of the Central American country.

"Once again, President Trump is lying. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and it is certainly not the task that was even discussed in our conversations with Secretary (of State) Marco Rubio or anyone else. I reject, on behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, this new affront to the truth and to our dignity as a nation," Mulino said in a message on X.

"Cooperation between our governments requires clear understandings on issues of mutual interest, as has been done. It has nothing to do with the 'recovery of the Canal' or with tarnishing our national sovereignty. The Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian," Mulino added.

TRUMP: "WE'VE ALREADY STARTED DOING IT"

The new president of the United States, Donald Trump, said yesterday in a speech before the United States Congress that "to further improve our national security, my administration will recover the Panama Canal, and we have already begun to do so."

Trump has previously said he would not rule out using force to seize control of the canal, which links the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.

The current president of the United States claims that there is Chinese interference in this maritime route - inaugurated by his country in 1914 and handed over to Panama on the last day of 1999 - because two ports at the entrances to the route have been operated since 1997 by the company CK Hutchison, from Hong Kong.

HONG KONG COMPANY SOLD PORTS IN PANAMA

In his speech on Tuesday, Trump referred to the sale agreement announced that same day, through which the Hong Kong conglomerate CK Huchison, following strong US pressure, handed over 90% of the partnership with which it operates the Panamanian ports of Balboa and Cristóbal, in the Panama Canal area, to the US investment fund BlackRock.