According to Trump, Panama charges "exorbitantly high prices". The tariffs are 'ridiculous', he wrote.

The Panama Canal is an important transit channel between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The United States is its biggest user. Three quarters of the ships using the link are of US origin. According to Trump, there is also a risk of the canal falling into Chinese hands. China is the second-largest user and a Hong Kong company manages two of the five ports close to the canal.

'Channel squandered'

He gives a swipe at former president Jimmy Carter for, in his opinion, squandering the canal "for one dollar". Carter (US president from 1977-1981) signed a treaty with Panama in 1977, which stipulated that the canal would be handed over to Panama in 2000. Before that, the US and Panama shared control of the canal.

'The canal was not given away for the benefit of others, but as a symbol of the cooperation between us and Panama,' Trump wrote. 'If the legal and moral principles of this grand gesture of giving it away are not followed, we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us'.

Non-negotiable

Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino, in a response to Trump's remarks, revealed that his country has "absolute sovereignty" over the Panama Canal.

'Every square metre of the Panama Canal and surrounding area belongs to Panama and will remain so,' Mulino said in a video posted on X. In it, he also said that Panama's sovereignty and independence are non-negotiable.

Source: NT