Panama Canal will remain in our hands, minister tells Trump

Panama has insisted that its sovereignty over the Panama Canal is “non-negotiable” after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out using military force to seize it.

Trump made the comment during a press conference on Tuesday in which he also falsely claimed that the Panama Canal was being operated by Chinese soldiers.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama, Javier Martínez-Acha, responded by saying that “the only hands that operate the canal are Panamanian and that is how it will remain.”

The Panama Canal was managed by the United States for decades, but under a treaty signed by the late US President Jimmy Carter in 1977, it was handed over to Panamanians on December 31, 1999.

At his press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, Trump described President Carter’s decision to return the channel as “a big mistake.”

he too expressed renewed interest in purchasing the Arctic island of Greenland -which is an autonomous territory of Denmark- as well as the Panama Canal.

Pressed by reporters on whether he would rule out using military or economic force to acquire Greenland and the Panama Canal, he said: “No, I can’t assure you about either.”

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Panama denied that his country had received any type of offer from the president-elect.

“Trump’s opinions today, that he has talked about a certain amount of money, are not true. No type of offer has been received, let’s be clear,” Martínez-Acha said.

He added that “the sovereignty of our canal is not negotiable and is part of our history of struggle and irreversible conquest.”

The president of Panama, José Raúl Mulino, has not yet reacted directly to Trump’s latest statements.

But at a colorful ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the canal’s handover to Panama on Dec. 31, he told attendees to “rest assured, it will remain under our control forever.”

In the past, President Mulino has seemed exasperated by Trump’s claims that the canal is under some form of Chinese influence, saying that “there are no Chinese soldiers on the canal, for God’s sake.”

His government also stressed that “until January 20, the American government will be led by Joe Biden. Starting January 20, we will deal with Mr. Trump and his government.”

“Panama wishes to cooperate and maintain excellent relations with the different governments.”