PANAMA CITY (AP) 鈥� Panamanian President on Thursday announced the appointment of Ilya Espino de Marotta to a seven-year term leading the starting Oct. 1, the first woman to hold that post.
The decision followed a weeks-long review process by the Panama Canal Board of Directors, which considered numerous high-profile candidates.
Before Thursday’s appointment, Espino de Marotta, 64, served as the deputy administrator of the interoceanic waterway since taking office on Jan. 1, 2020.
鈥淚 have spoken with the new Administrator of the Panama Canal… to congratulate her and reaffirm the commitment to work in coordination on strategic projects that generate jobs, prosperity and progress for Panamanians,鈥� Mulino wrote on X.
A 35-year veteran of the Panama Canal, Espino de Marotta is widely recognized for both her signature pink hard hat and her leadership on megaprojects, including a massive $5 billion expansion of the waterway.
Among the main challenges for the incoming administrator is the development of two new ports, one at each end of the canal, with tenders scheduled for release in the coming months. These projects, along with upcoming tenders for a natural gas pipeline and a logistics corridor, form the core of the canal’s expansion and diversification strategy.
The canal has been at the center of an with the U.S. State Department accusing China of violating sovereignty over a port dispute in the Central American nation.
The most recent spat was triggered in early April when Rubio accused China of 鈥渂ullying鈥� by detaining or holding up dozens of Panama-flagged ships 鈥� though for a short period of time 鈥� after the Central American country earlier this year from a . China has denied the allegations.
The U.S. has long sought to offset China鈥檚 growing presence in Latin America. Panama, in part due to its crucial role in international trade with the Panama Canal, has been particularly caught in a broader after last year of running the international waterway.
Espino de Marotta earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in Marine Engineering from Texas A&M University and a master鈥檚 degree in Economic Engineering from the Universidad Santa Mar铆a La Antigua.
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