Reuters reported that on December 22, US President-elect Donald Trump announced that he would regain control of the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of abusing the waterway in the Central American region to charge excessive fees. Panamanian President Jose Paul Mulino strongly objected.
Speaking at AmericaFest - an annual event organized by the conservative coalition group Turning Point in Arizona (USA), Mr. Trump affirmed that he would not let the Panama Canal be exploited illegally.
The president-elect later posted a photo of the American flag fluttering in front of a canal on the social network Truth Social with the caption: “Welcome to the American Canal.” Mr. Trump also said that Americans were being “ripped off” when traveling through this area.
Also according to Reuters, Mr. Trump's comments emphasized that US foreign policy will have many changes when President-elect Donald Trump officially takes office.
The Panama Canal was previously owned by the United States but was transferred to Panama decades ago under conditions. Mr. Trump has said he will demand the return of the Panama Canal if both legal and moral principles are not guaranteed.
On the same day, December 22, Panamanian President Jose Paul Mulino responded harshly. Mr. Mulino affirmed that Panama's independence is non-negotiable, and at the same time defended the fees that Panama collects from using the canal, saying that they are not set "arbitrarily".
Not stopping there, President-elect Donald Trump immediately responded with a caption on his personal page: "We'll see about that."
Each year, 14,000 ships, or 2.5% of global maritime trade, pass through the Panama Canal. It is a vital trade route, especially for imports of cars and other goods from Asia to the United States, but it is also a major export route for the United States.
