Trump wants to 'reclaim' the Panama Canal

US President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to take back control of the Panama Canal because the Central American country charges too high tolls to ships.

President-elect Trump on December 22 accused Panama of charging unfairly high fees to US ships and threatened to regain control of the Panama Canal, according to Reuters.

"Anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal? We are being ripped off at the Panama Canal just like we are ripped off everywhere else. It was given to Panama and the Panamanian people but with terms. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this noble gesture are not followed, we will reclaim the Panama Canal completely, quickly and without question," Trump told supporters in Arizona.

Trump says US could reclaim Panama Canal

According to Politico, the US helped Panama gain independence from Colombia in the early 20th century to build the Panama Canal connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. For decades, the US controlled the canal and a surrounding territory.

President-elect Donald Trump speaks at an event in Arizona on December 22.

In 1977, the administration of US President Jimmy Carter signed two treaties with military leader Omar Torrijos, which handed over control of the canal to Panama in 1999 while the US reserved the right to intervene militarily to ensure the canal's neutrality. Analysts do not believe that the treaties contain provisions allowing the US to take back the canal.

Container ship moves through the Panama Canal in August

Mr Trump said the US had "built" the canal, "used" it and given it to Panama as a "symbol of cooperation". However, he criticised the Central American country for treating the US unfairly. "Our navy and merchant ships have been treated in a very unfair and unwise way. The fees charged by Panama are ridiculous, very unfair, especially given the enormous generosity shown to Panama. This exploitation will stop immediately," Mr Trump said, adding that the canal would not be allowed to fall into the hands of "the wrong people", implying foreign interference.

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Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino later responded that the country's independence was non-negotiable and that no country could influence the management of the canal. He also insisted that canal tolls for ships were not set at will.

"Every square meter of the Panama Canal and the surrounding area belongs to Panama and will remain so," President Mulino wrote on his X social media account, to which Trump responded: "We will see."

The Panama Canal is about 80 km long, allowing 14,000 ships to pass through each year, accounting for 2.5% of global seaborne trade.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ong-trump-muon-doi-lai-kenh-dao-panama-185241223065420304.htm