Panama unites against Donald Trump's Canal takeover threat
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Panama's leaders have firmly rejected recent remarks by US President-elect Donald Trump suggesting that control of the Panama Canal should be returned to Washington.
The 80-kilometer canal, a vital trade route that carries 5% of the world’s maritime commerce, remains a symbol of Panamanian sovereignty.
President Jose Raul Mulino, alongside former presidents Ernesto Perez Balladares, Martin Torrijos, and Mireya Moscoso, issued a joint statement on Monday declaring the canal’s status "non-negotiable." The leaders emphasized that the canal and its surrounding territories are irrevocably Panamanian.
“This waterway is part of our history of struggle and represents an irreversible achievement,” the statement read. “While Panamanians may hold differing opinions on many issues, our canal and sovereignty unite us under one flag.”
Former leaders Laurentino Cortizo and Ricardo Martinelli also voiced their support, underscoring national solidarity in the face of Trump’s comments.
On Saturday, Trump criticized the tolls imposed on US ships traversing the canal, labeling them unfair. He suggested reclaiming control of the canal, a move that Panamanian officials swiftly dismissed as unacceptable.
The canal, completed by the United States in 1914, was returned to Panama under a landmark 1977 agreement brokered by US President Jimmy Carter. Full control was transferred to Panama in 1999, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s history.
The Panama Canal remains critical to global trade, with its primary users being the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Chile. Panamanian officials stressed that the canal’s sovereignty is a matter of national pride and economic stability.