Panama's President Responds to Trump Saying He Will 'Take Back' Canal

At the dawn of our independence with Colombia, the Panama Canal was established,

he added

Panama is not distracted by this type of pronouncements,

he added, underscoring his belief that the canal's status as a crucial asset to Panama is secure and unchallenged

There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God,

he said in December 2024.

Neither one (none) of those terms has been violated. So, I am not sure why Mr. Trump thinks the agreement has been violated,

said Martinez Machain

The accusations that China is running the canal are unfounded,

Ricaurte Vasquez Moralez, the head of the Panama Canal Authority, recently told the Wall Street Journal .

And only about 300 were Americans,

he said

We reject in its entirety everything that Mr. Trump has said. First, because it is false. And second, because the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama. The Panama Canal was not a concession or a gift from the United States."

Panama President Mulino said Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland

Mao Ning (diplomat)chinese foreign ministry spokesperson

China has not participated in the management and operation of the canal, has never interfered in the canal's affairs, has always respected Panama's sovereignty over the canal, and recognizes the canal as a permanently neutral international waterway."

The Chinese Foreign Ministry's Mao Ning said Wednesday

The canal is not directly or indirectly controlled by any major power,

she stressed

We remain steadfast in our commitment to comply with all laws and regulations, fully exercising our contractual responsibilities,

the firm said

One cannot skip over public international law to impose criteria,

he said

I really feel uncomfortable because it’s like when you’re big and you take a candy from a little kid,

Barrera said

American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, and that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal,

Trump said Monday

Donald Trumppresident

We’re taking it back.”

On Monday, President Trump said of the Panama Canal

Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal,

Mulino said

There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration,

he added, taking issue with Trump’s suggestion that

The United States… spent more money than was ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal,

Trump said at his inaugural address on Monday

[The ... The U.S. and Panama] must protect the canal from any threat to the neutrality regime,

Shchetinin said

Xu Liang (footballer)chinese footballer

First, the internal fight between different groups advocating for clean energy and those supporting traditional energy may intensify. Second, it could push the US into a backward position in industries such as new energy vehicles, especially at a time when clean energy is the trend in global development,

Xu said

José Raúl Mulinopresident

As President, I want to express precisely that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to PANAMA, and will continue to be.”

Following Trump’s assertions that the canal should be returned to the United States, Panama‘s President José Raúl Mulino issued a statement in December saying