Panama Canal administrator pushes back against Trump’s assertions of Chinese meddling

Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vsquez addresses President-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. should retake control of the Panama Canal during an interview with Associated Press in his office Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Panama City, Panama. (AP Photo/Abraham Tern) PANAMA CITY - The administrator of the Panama Canal said Friday that the vital waterway will remain in Panamanian hands and open to commerce from all countries, rejecting claims by President-elect Donald Trump that the United States should take it over. In an interview with The Associated Press, Ricaurte Và¡squez denied Trump's claims that China was controlling the canal's operations,…