During a press conference, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino dismissed any negotiation regarding the Panama Canal's control with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He emphasized that the canal was signed over to Panama under a treaty in 1999 and clarified the misunderstanding regarding China's association with the canal's operations. Mulino stated that the primary agenda for discussions with Rubio will be focused on migration, drug trafficking, and enhancing bilateral cooperation, distancing the talks from the historically sensitive topic of canal ownership.