Trump threatens to take control of Panama Canal
2 Min Read
The President-elect voiced concerns about Panama's management of the Canal, emphasizing that China's growing presence could compel Washington to assert control over the waterway.
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A cargo ship sails through Miraflores locks in the Panama Canal in Panama City, on May 3, 2024. (AP)
US President-elect Donald Trump slammed on Saturday what he called unfair fees for US ships passing through the Panama Canal and threatened to demand Washington gain control over the waterway.
Trump also shed light on what he described as China's growing influence around the canal, which he considers a threat to US interests since US businesses depend on the channel to transfer goods between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
On his Truth Social platform, Trump said, "Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous," adding, "This complete 'rip-off' of our Country will immediately stop."
It is worth noting that the Panama Canal, completed by the United States in 1914, was returned to Panama through a 1977 agreement signed by US President Jimmy Carter, and in 1999, Panama took full control of the canal.
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Trump said "It was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else," adding, "We would and will NEVER let it fall into the wrong hands!"
The president-elect expressed his concerns over Panama's handling of the Panama Canal, in terms of what he described as "the secure, efficient and reliable operation" of the channel, warning that he would feel obliged to "demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question."
It is important to highlight that approximately five percent of global maritime traffic passes through the Panama Canal, enabling ships traveling between Asia and the US East Coast to bypass the lengthy and perilous route around the southern tip of South America.
That said, the main users of the passage are the United States, China, Japan, and South Korea.
The Panama Canal Authority reported in October that the waterway had earned record revenues of nearly $5 billion in the last fiscal year.
