President Trump on Sunday fired again at Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino for claiming “each sq. meter” of the Panama Canal belongs to Panama.
On Saturday Trump warned that the US might seize again the Panama Canal until the nation agrees to decrease its prices and counter Chinese language affect.
“The USA has a vested curiosity within the safe, environment friendly, and dependable operation of the Panama Canal, and that was all the time understood. We might and can NEVER let it fall into the mistaken fingers! It was not given for the good thing about others, however merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama. If the ideas, each ethical and authorized, of this magnanimous gesture of giving will not be adopted, then we’ll demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and with out query. To the Officers of Panama, please be guided accordingly!” Trump stated on Fact Social.
In a comply with up social media put up, President Trump defined by the Panama Canal is an important nationwide asset for the US:
The Panama Canal is taken into account a VITAL Nationwide Asset for the US, because of its essential position to America’s Financial system and Nationwide Safety. A safe Panama Canal is essential for U.S. Commerce, and speedy deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts transport instances to U.S. ports.
The USA is the Quantity One consumer of the Canal, with over 70 p.c of all transits heading to, or from, U.S. ports. Thought-about one of many Wonders of the Trendy World, the Panama Canal opened for enterprise 110 years in the past, and was constructed at HUGE price to the US in lives and treasure – 38,000 American males died from contaminated mosquitos within the jungles throughout development.
Teddy Roosevelt was President of the US on the time of its constructing, and understood the power of Naval Energy and Commerce. When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Greenback, throughout his time period in Workplace, it was solely for Panama to handle, not China, or anybody else.
It was likewise not given for Panama to cost the US, its Navy, and firms, doing enterprise inside our Nation, exorbitant costs and charges of passage. Our Navy and Commerce have been handled in a really unfair and injudicious means.
The charges being charged by Panama are ridiculous, particularly figuring out the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This entire “rip-off” of our Nation will instantly cease….
On Sunday Panama’s President fired again at Trump in a video assertion.
“As President, I need to specific clearly that each sq. meter of the Panama Canal and its adjoining zone belongs to Panama, and can proceed to take action,” Mulino stated in video statement. “The sovereignty and independence of our nation will not be negotiable.”
“The Canal will not be below direct or oblique management, neither by China, nor by the European Group, nor by the US, nor by every other energy,” Mulino stated. “As a Panamanian, I strongly reject any manifestation that distorts this actuality.”
“Panama respects different nations and calls for respect,” he added.
WATCH:
Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024
Later Sunday, President Trump responded: “We’ll see about that!”