Panama's response to Trump: 'The Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will remain so'
Panama has responded to US President Donald Trump's statement that they would take back the Panama Canal. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino announced that the canal 'belongs to them' and 'will continue to remain so.'
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Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino has responded to newly inaugurated US President Donald Trump's demand for the Panama Canal. Mulino stated that they would not surrender their territory to the US under 'any circumstances.'
In response to Trump's words, 'We will take back the Panama Canal,' Mulino replied, 'The Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will remain so.'
In a statement published on his X social media account, Mulino reacted to the remarks Trump made regarding the Panama Canal during his inauguration ceremony.
In his post, the Panamanian leader wrote, 'I must categorically reject the words expressed by President Donald Trump. The Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will remain so.'
The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The canal is considered one of the most important trade routes in the world.
IS THE PANAMA CANAL CONTROLLED BY CHINA?
Drawing attention to Trump's claim that the Panama Canal is controlled by China, Mulino shared the view that, 'There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration.'
Recalling the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, Mulino noted the following:
'The canal was not a concession given by anyone; it was the product of a generational struggle that culminated in 1999 as a result of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Since then, for 25 years, we have managed and expanded this canal responsibly to serve world trade, including the US. History and our actions toward the US show that we will use the rights that protect us, the legal basis of the treaty, the dignity that sets us apart, and the power granted to us by international law as the ideal way to manage relations between countries, and above all, between allied and friendly nations.'