Donald Trump has threatened to return the Panama Canal to the US if the Panamanian authorities do not regulate its “ridiculously” high tariffs, the US President-elect wrote about this on his social network Truth Social.
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“If the principles, both moral and legal, of this generous gesture of donation (to Panama of the Panama Canal) are not respected, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us in full and without question,” he said.
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Trump called the fee Panama charges for the passage of the canal “ridiculous.”
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“This complete fleecing of our country must stop immediately…” he wrote.
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According to Trump, the Panama Canal is “vitally important” to the United States because of the critical role it plays in the country’s economy and national security.
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He also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that China is also using the Panama Canal, despite the fact that, in his opinion, this contradicts the terms of the canal transfer deal.
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“When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away for one dollar during his presidency, it could only be controlled by Panama, not China or anyone else,” the president-elect added.
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The Panama Canal, built by the Americans at the beginning of the 20th century, became neutral in 1977 after the signing of treaties between US President Jimmy Carter and the country’s then de facto leader Omar Torrijos, according to which Panama gained control of this transoceanic route. It guarantees the safe and open transit of ships of all nations in both peace and war.
