{"id":14388,"date":"2026-07-03T06:21:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-03T11:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=14388"},"modified":"2026-07-02T21:28:47","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T02:28:47","slug":"us-embassy-gala-and-president-mulinos-blunt-message-to-washington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/politics-government\/us-embassy-gala-and-president-mulinos-blunt-message-to-washington\/","title":{"rendered":"US Embassy Gala and President Mulino\u2019s Blunt Message to Washington"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino stood before a crowd of diplomats and cabinet members at the Biomuseo in Amador on Thursday evening. The occasion was a reception hosted by the <a href=\"https:\/\/pa.usembassy.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">US Embassy Panama<\/a> celebrating 250 years of American independence. But Mulino used the platform to deliver a pointed message about Panama&#8217;s place in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3941.4325610248484!2d-79.54721022430934!3d8.932226590494876!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x8facaf426c66afbd%3A0x44c6f763a45ecabb!2sBiomuseo!5e0!3m2!1sen!2spa!4v1783045708880!5m2!1sen!2spa\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" style=\"border:0;\" allowfullscreen=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The president stressed that cooperation between the two nations must rest on mutual respect. He referenced the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oas.org\/en\/topics\/panama_canal.asp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Neutrality Treaty<\/a> as the foundation of modern bilateral relations. That treaty, signed alongside the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/History_of_the_Panama_Canal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Panama Canal transfer<\/a>, guarantees the waterway remains open and neutral during times of peace or conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera official portrait\" class=\"wp-image-9570\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera-official-portrait-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">United States Ambassador Kevin Marino Cabrera By United States Embassy in Panama &#8211; https:\/\/pa.usembassy.gov\/ambassador-kevin-marino-cabrera\/, Public Domain, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=164524395<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Quarter Century of Partnership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The event brought together a cross-section of Panama&#8217;s political and business elite. <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/news\/us-ambassador-says-china-is-punishing-panama-for-port-decision\/\" rel=\"internal\">Kevin Marino Cabrera<\/a>, the <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/business-economy\/us-ambassador-urges-panama-protect-investment-climate\/\" rel=\"internal\">United States Ambassador<\/a> to Panama, hosted the gathering. Representatives from international organizations and foreign embassies also attended the ceremony at the iconic museum designed by Frank Gehry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulino spoke directly about the relationship forged after the canal changed hands. &#8220;For more than a quarter century, backed by a Neutrality Treaty, both nations have built a relationship of friendship and cooperation,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Dialogue and respect for national sovereignty must always prevail in that relationship.&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/news\/us-ambassador-says-china-is-punishing-panama-for-port-decision\/\" rel=\"internal\">[Translated from Spanish]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His words carried weight given recent tensions. Former President Donald Trump had earlier invoked President Theodore Roosevelt in an artificial intelligence-generated video questioning the canal transfer. Trump suggested China was taking control of the waterway, a claim Panamanian officials have repeatedly denied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"250 years american fair Credit US embassy\" class=\"wp-image-14389\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/250-years-american-fair-credit-us-embassy-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">250 years american fair Credit US embassy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sovereignty in a Shifting Geopolitical Landscape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The canal remains a flashpoint in US-China competition across Latin America. Chinese companies operate ports at both ends of the waterway, including the strategic Balboa and Cristobal facilities. Panama has faced pressure from Washington to limit Chinese influence while maintaining its sovereign right to choose trading partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulino&#8217;s administration has walked a careful line. He announced a shift in his government&#8217;s focus toward job creation and economic growth. The president signaled that domestic priorities would take center stage moving forward. &#8220;You will see a president more focused on generating employment,&#8221; he said at a separate event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The July 4 celebration at the Biomuseo represented more than diplomatic protocol. It showcased the enduring ties between two nations separated by language and size but connected by a single strategic waterway. The United States organized similar events at every diplomatic post worldwide to mark the 250th anniversary milestone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"Keiko Fujimori (cropped II)\" class=\"wp-image-14390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1-450x300.webp 450w, https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/keiko-fujimori-cropped-ii-1200x800-1.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Keiko Fujimori By Congreso de la Rep\u00fablica del Per\u00fa &#8211; originally posted to Flickr as Sesi\u00f3n del Pleno 07\/10\/2010, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=106193414<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Looking Forward<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Panama also extended congratulations to Keiko Fujimori on her election as president of Peru during the same period. This regional outreach suggests Panama wants to strengthen its position as a diplomatic hub in Central America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mulino&#8217;s remarks at the US embassy reception will likely shape his administration&#8217;s foreign policy approach. He emphasized that cooperation cannot exist without sovereignty. He insisted that dialogue must remain the primary tool for resolving differences. And he anchored both principles in the Neutrality Treaty that governs the canal&#8217;s operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The treaty, signed in 1977 by President Jimmy Carter and General Omar Torrijos, guarantees the canal&#8217;s permanent neutrality. It allows US warships to transit quickly during emergencies. It also prohibits the canal from being closed against any nation. These provisions remain central to Panama&#8217;s relationship with Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For now, Mulino appears committed to maintaining that balance. His speech at the Biomuseo offered reassurance to American diplomats while asserting Panama&#8217;s independence. The question is whether that balance can hold as global pressures intensify.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino stood before a crowd of diplomats and cabinet members at the Biomuseo in Amador on Thursday evening. The occasion was a reception hosted by the US Embassy Panama celebrating 250 years of American independence. But Mulino used the platform to deliver a pointed message about Panama&#8217;s place in the world. The<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9584,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[29,28,87],"tags":[50,322,5132],"class_list":["post-14388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-politics-government","category-news","category-featured","tag-panama","tag-sovereignty","tag-us-relations"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14388"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14392,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14388\/revisions\/14392"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9584"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}