The Central American country sent a letter addressed to Antonio Guterres where it emphasized that “the Canal is and will continue to belong to Panama and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control.”
During his presidential inauguration speech, donald trump assured that he intended to “recover” the Panama Canal and this threat generated strong concern among the locals of the Central American country. Given this possible scenario, the Panamanian government sent a letter to the UN where he rejected the statements of the new president and recalled that the nations that make up the organization must “refrain from resorting to the threat or use of force” against the “territorial integrity” of any State.
The document was addressed to the secretary general of the UN, António Guterresand signed by the Panamanian ambassador to the UN, Eloy Alfaro. The objective of the note is to “convey” the rejection of the president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, in the face of Trump’s threats during his inauguration speech, who announced that the US will “recover” the important waterway by arguing that China was operating on the canal.
“He Canal is and will continue to be Panama and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality. There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration,” Mulino confirmed to Trump, according to the letter.
The government of Panama seeks, as expressed in the text, that Guterres put into practice “his good offices to transmit this communication to the fifteen members of the United Nations Security Council.”
Donald Trump affirmed that he will work on the “recovery” of the Panama Canal
This Monday during his inauguration speech, Trump said that “China is operating the Panama Canal. But we didn’t give it to China. We gave it to Panama, and we are going to get it back,” he said.
In addition, Trump questioned that American ships have to pay a high toll rate and considered that they are not treated “in a fair manner.” However, the Panamanian government also refuted these statements days ago.
From the administration Mulino They stressed that the canal “is and will continue to be Panamanian” as it is the result of a long “generational struggle” and denied the presence “of any nation in the world that interferes” with the administration of the canal, in Panamanian hands since 1999.
The Panama Canal is a passage of 82 kilometers through which around 3% of world trade transits. It was built by USAwhich inaugurated it in 1914 and administered it until its transfer to the Panamanian State on December 31, 1999.
Source: Ambito
