The president of Panama sought to pour cold water on President-elect Donald Trump’s musings that the United States should take back the Panama Canal due to “ridiculous” and “unfair” passage fees for U.S. vessels passing through the key waterway.
In a video statement, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino firmly rebuked Trump, saying that “every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone belongs to Panama, and will continue to do so.”
“The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable,” he added.
Trump directly mocked that remark shortly after, posting a screenshot of it on Truth Social with the caption: “We’ll see about that!” He followed that up by posting a photo of the Panama Canal with the American flag at the center, along with the caption, “Welcome to the United States Canal!”
Trump introduced the idea of demanding a return of the Panama Canal to the United States late Saturday, firing off two Truth Social posts slamming the “complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country” by Panamanian officials who have charged Navy and other U.S. vessels “exorbitant prices and rates of passage.” Depending on the size of the vessel, those fees can be as high as $300,000.
Mulino seemed to admit on Sunday that fees have increased, but justified them by saying they aren’t established on a “whim,” but instead are “established publicly and in an open hearing, taking into account market conditions, international competition, operating costs and the maintenance and modernization needs of the interoceanic route.”
He added that these rates allowed for the expansion of the canal in 2016, which cost more than $5 billion and took nearly a decade to construct after running two years off-schedule.
Trump brought up the topic again at Turning Point USA’s AmFest in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier Sunday, repeating his accusation that the U.S. is being treated unfairly.
“Has anyone ever heard of the Panama Canal? Because we’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” he said.
“The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair,” Trump added.
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The Panama Canal was given to the Central American country in 1999, two decades after former President Jimmy Carter’s 1979 treaty effectively did away with U.S. control of it. It is run by the Panama Canal Authority, which has a board of directors composed of 11 directors, all of whom serve nine-year terms. The president of Panama is in charge of picking 10 of those directors, while one is appointed by the legislative branch.
The U.S. is by far the top user of the key waterway.