'Sovereignty is non-negotiable': Panama responds to Trump's claims
Photo: Donald Trump (Getty Images)
Panama emphasized that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is non-negotiable. There have been no discussions on this topic with US President-elect Donald Trump, the Telemetro news website reports, citing Panama's Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha.
In particular, Javier Martínez-Acha denied any contact between Panama and Trump or his team. The minister stressed that once Trump assumes office, relations between the US and Panama will be conducted through common and appropriate official channels.
Martínez-Acha reiterated the stance of Panama's President José Raúl Molino, emphasizing that the Panama Canal's sovereignty is not up for discussion.
"The sovereignty of our canal is not negotiable. The only hands controlling the canal are Panamanian hands, which will always remain that way," said the Foreign Minister.
Martínez-Acha also added that the mission of the Panama Canal is "to serve humanity and global trade, and this is one of the great values that Panamanians offer to the world, providing the international community with the assurance of not participating or being an active party in any conflict."
What Trump said
Recently, US President-elect Donald Trump accused Panama of charging excessive fees for using the Panama Canal. He criticized former US President Jimmy Carter's decision to return control of the canal to Panama.
Trump did not rule out military or economic measures to establish control over Greenland and the Panama Canal.
For more details on what Trump's statements mean, read our article on the topic.
