Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said his nation intends to maintain control of the Panama Canal, after President Trump reiterated his intention to take control of the strategic sea lane in his inaugural address.
Mulino rejected Trump’s promise to retake the canal “on behalf of the Republic of Panama and its people” in a statement Monday.
“The Canal is and will remain Panama’s and its administration will remain under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality,” Mulino said.
Trump’s promise to take control of the canal has been a central theme of his post-campaign rhetoric, along with expansionist plans for Greenland, a Danish overseas territory, and apparent tongue-in-cheek references to making Canada the “51st state.” ”.
The canal “is from Panama and will continue to be so,” the Panamanian president answers Trump
But at his inaugural festivities, Trump based his aspirations for the canal on alleged Chinese control of the facility. “Above all, China is operating the Panama Canal, and we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama and we’re going to take it back,” he said.
“There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration,” said Mulino, who also opposed the idea that the United States “gave” the canal to Panama.
“The Canal was not a concession from anyone. It was the result of generational struggles that reached their peak in 1999, as a result of the Torrijos-Carter treaty, and from then until now, for 25 years, without interruption, we have managed and expanded it responsibly to serve the world and its trade, including the United States,” he added.
“Dialogue is always the way to clarify the problems raised without undermining our rights, the total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal,” Mulino said.
