On Sunday, Panama’s president, Jose Raul Mulino, responded to recent threats from US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the potential retaking of control over the Panama Canal, which Trump claims is due to “unfair” treatment of American vessels.
In a recent video shared on X, Mulino asserted, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belongs to Panama and will continue belonging to Panama.”
Mulino’s public remarks, while not directly referencing Trump, followed closely on the heels of the president-elect’s criticisms regarding the canal shared on his Truth Social platform.
“The treatment of our Navy and Commerce has been marked by significant unfairness and poor judgment.” “The fees being charged by Panama are outrageous,” he stated.
Trump expressed concerns regarding China’s increasing influence around the canal, highlighting this as a troubling development for American interests, given that US businesses rely on the channel for transporting goods between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
“It was exclusively Panama’s responsibility to oversee, not China’s, or anyone else’s,” Trump stated. “We will ensure that it does not fall into the wrong hands!”
The Panama Canal, completed by the United States in 1914, was handed back to Panama following a 1977 agreement signed by President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat.
In 1999, Panama assumed complete control.
Trump stated that if Panama fails to guarantee “the secure, efficient and reliable operation” of the canal, “then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.”
Mulino has dismissed Trump’s assertions made in his video message, while expressing a desire to foster “a good and respectful relationship” with the forthcoming administration.
“According to Mulino, the canal operates without any direct or indirect control from China, the European Union, the United States, or any other power.” “As a citizen of Panama, I firmly oppose any expression that distorts this truth.”
On Sunday, Trump reacted to Mulino’s dismissal, stating on Truth Social: “We’ll see about that!”
