Weekly Report - 26 February 2026 (WR-26-08)

Panama’s government led by President José Raúl Mulino has formally assumed control of the Balboa and Cristóbal ports on the Panama Canal which previously belonged to Panama Ports Company (PPC), a subsidiary of Hong Kong-headquartered CK Hutchison Holdings. The move by the government follows a supreme court (CSJ) ruling at the end of last month which struck down the concession – a decision widely considered a victory for the US government, which has been seeking to curb Beijing’s influence in the region, and which has drawn ire from China [WR-26-05].