Panama's FM responds to Trump: Canal sovereignty cannot be negotiated

Panama has firmly rejected any suggestions of revisiting control over the Panama Canal following remarks made by US President-elect Donald Trump.

Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martinez-Acha Vazquez made it clear that the Panama Canal remains under the control of Panamanians and that this would not change.

"The sovereignty of our canal is not negotiable... The mission of our canal is to serve humanity and its commerce," he emphasized in a statement, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Trump, during a meeting with reporters on January 7 at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, revealed that discussions regarding the Panama Canal were already underway with the Panamanian authorities. He claimed that the Panamanian government had violated multiple provisions of the agreement regarding the canal's use and yet sought financial aid from the US to repair it. Trump also accused China of gaining control over the vital waterway.

Earlier, Trump suggested that the US might demand the return of control over the Panama Canal if the current agreement wasn’t renegotiated. He criticized the high tolls imposed on ships using the canal and referred to the 1999 handover as a “gesture of cooperation,” not a concession.

However, Panamanian President José Raul Mulino swiftly responded, reiterating that the sovereignty of Panama over the canal and the nation's independence were non-negotiable.

The Panama Canal, completed in 1914, was originally constructed by the US and remained under US control until the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaty. This treaty outlined a phased transfer of the canal to Panama, which was completed in 1999. The agreement assured the canal's neutrality and its continued accessibility for global trade, ensuring its vital role in international commerce today.

By Tamilla Hasanova