The Daily Star Ireland
Panama’s president, Jose Raul Mulino, has dismissed recent threats made by US president-elect Donald Trump regarding the control of the Panama Canal. In a video posted on X, Mulino emphasized that every part of the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to do so.
Though Mulino did not directly mention Trump by name, his comments followed Trump’s complaints on Truth Social about the treatment of American ships using the canal. Trump described the fees charged by Panama as excessive and expressed concerns about China’s influence over the canal, stressing that it should be managed solely by Panama.
The Panama Canal, completed by the United States in 1914, was handed back to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1977. Trump suggested that if Panama could not ensure the canal’s secure and efficient operation, the US would demand its return.
Mulino rejected these claims, asserting that the canal is not controlled by China, the European Union, the United States, or any other power. He expressed hope for a respectful relationship with the incoming US administration, while also firmly standing against any misrepresentation of Panama’s sovereignty over the canal.
In response, Trump posted on Truth Social, hinting that the situation might not be resolved easily.
