Panama sent a strong response to Donald Trump: "The channel is Panamanian"

The channel is Panamanian. That is the unison response of the Government, politicians, analysts and citizens to the repudiated threat of the American president-elect, the Republican donald trumpthat he will demand its return because, in his opinion, road toll rates are “exorbitant”whose main client is the United States.

The Panama Canal, an 82-kilometer passage between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and through which 3% of world trade passeswas built by the United States, which inaugurated it in 1914 and administered it until its transfer to the Panamanian State on December 31, 1999.

This was possible thanks to the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed on September 7, 1977 in Washington by the then presidents of Panama Omar Torrijos (1929-1981) and the American Jimmy Carter (1977-1981).

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The canal “is from Panama and will continue to be”

The Panamanian president, José Raúl Mulinostated this Sunday in a video released by the Government that the “Panama Canal and its adjacent areas belong to Panama and will continue to be so,” highlighting that “the sovereignty and independence” of his country “are not negotiable”.

With this statement, Mulino collected the feelings of citizens and political figures who since Saturday have expressed their rejection to the statement of the Republican leader.

Mulino recalled that the Torrijos-Carter Treaties “agreed to the dissolution of the former canal zone, recognizing Panamanian sovereignty,” and “established the permanent neutrality” of the road“guaranteeing its open and secure operation for all nations.”

The former channel administrator Jorge Luis Quijano (2012-2019) stressed in a message sent to EFE that the fifth article of the Neutrality Treaty dictates that “only the Republic of Panama will manage the canal”so “there is no clause that allows the United States to recover” the road.

Trump, who will take office on January 20 for his second term – the first was between 2017-2021 – said on Saturday when he complained about tariffs and China’s alleged interference in the interoceanic waterway, that “If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of donation are not respected, we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to usin its entirety and without question.”

Those “moral norms,” ​​Panamanian analyst José Stoute told EFE, “do not exist, unless you are interpreting those norms as your will.”

With his statement, Trump is “violating the Panama Canal Treaty.” and almost announcing a possible future invasion. Because there would be no other way that the canal could be returned, other than it being taken over militarily by the United States Army,” he added.

Trump’s remarks took place after Panama commemorated, on December 20, the 35th anniversary of the American invasion to capture the dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega on drug trafficking charges, which left between 500 and 4,000 dead, and when there are just a few days left before the 25th anniversary of the transfer of the channel.

China as background

Trump, 78, once again pointed out China’s alleged interference in the canal, as he already did in 2023, a thesis that Panama once again denied, this time in the mouth of Mulino, who assured that “neither from China, nor from the European Community nor from the United States or any other power” has direct or indirect control over the channel.

Some analysts have linked Trump’s position to the growing Chinese presence in the Latin American region, which includes the possible linkage of Chinawith which Panama established diplomatic ties in 2017, to a large railway project in Panama.

“It may be that the Americans are very concerned about Panama’s announcement that we plan to build a railway” to the border with Costa Rica, “and that this is an investment from China. But in the face of that the only thing we can say is that the US .US make the investment. The United States is our most important commercial and political partner“We don’t want any kind of fissure in the relationship,” Stoute said.

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The channel is a business that benefits everyone

Mulino highlighted that since it is in Panamanian hands, the channel grew and is managed by professionals that guarantee its “safe, continuous, efficient and profitable operation”, so “rates are not a whim.”

The former channel administrator, Alberto Alemán Zubieta (1996-2012), explained that tolls “are periodically adjusted (…) through an open system of public consultations and in strict accordance with the international treaties that regulate our industry.”

The Panama Canal is a fundamental piece of the country’s economy. Obtained revenues of about $4,986 million in fiscal year 20241% more than the previous year, and provided the treasury with a contribution of 2,470.7 million dollars.