Dec 22, 2024
Panamanian president José Raúl Mulino said on Sunday that the interoceanic canal “is Panamanian and will remain so,” in response to the threat of US president-elect Donald Trump, a Republican who has that it will demand its return if the fees it charges for transit are not reduced.
“Compatriots, as President I wish to state precisely that every square metre of the Panama Canal and its adjacent areas is and will remain part of Panama. Our country’s sovereignty and independence are not negotiable,” Mulino said in a video released by the government.
Mulino reminded that “The Torrijos-Carter treaties of 1977 agreed to the dissolution of the former canal zone, recognizing Panamanian sovereignty and the complete handover of the canal to Panama, which ended on December 31, 1999, and soon we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of this transfer.” “there were no objections or complaints. On the contrary, it has been a source of strong international support and national pride.”
🇵🇦 Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino 🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024
Panamanian president emphasized that the canal has the mission to serve humanity and its trade, and that this is one of the great values that Panamanians offer to the world, while guaranteeing the international community not to take part in or be an active party in any conflict.
In a post on Saturday night on his social network Truth Social, Trump also warned that he would not let the channel fall into “wrong hands,” and appeared to warn of possible Chinese influence on the passage, writing that the channel should not be run by the Asian giant.
Donald Trump criticized the tariffs imposed by Panama, considering them excessive and recalling the “generosity” that US has “granted” to the Central American country and stated that this aid was not intended to benefit third parties, but as an act of cooperation between both nations. He warned that if Panama does not respect the principles of this gesture, the United States will demand the complete return of the Panama Canal.
In response to Tump’s words, congresswoman Grace Hernandez, of the opposition Movimiento Otro Camino (MOCA), wrote in X that “The government has a duty to defend our autonomy as an independent country. Diplomacy demands firmness in the face of pitiful words.”
The Ombudsman, Eduardo Leblanc Jr., emphasized the “neutrality” of the Canal, saying that “The Neutrality Treaty ensures that the Panama Canal is an open, safe and accessible route for world trade, reaffirming our sovereignty and contributing to global development. An historic commitment to peace and equality.”
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