‘Every Square Meter of the Panama Canal and its Adjacent Area Belongs to Panama and will Continue to do so’: Mulino Responds to Trump’s Statements

President José Raúl Mulino categorically reaffirmed that the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone are the exclusive heritage of Panamanians. The statement comes in response to statements by the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, who hinted at possible claims on the interoceanic route.  “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,” the president said.  Mulino recalled that the Torrijos-Carter Treaties of 1977 were fundamental in the process of transferring the Canal, an agreement that recognized the full sovereignty of Panama and culminated on December 31, 1999. Twenty-five years after that historic transfer, the president stressed that, since then, there have been no objections or claims, but rather growing international support and a strong feeling of national pride. 

In his message, Mulino also emphasized that the Canal is not under the control of any foreign power, be it China, the United States or the European Community. He assured that the Canal is an asset that Panama manages with total autonomy and that its mission is to serve humanity and world trade in a neutral and open manner for all nations.  He also stressed that the Panama Canal has been expanded and modernized by sovereign decision of the Panamanians, with tariffs established in a public and transparent manner, taking into account market conditions, international competition and the operational needs of the waterway.  Finally, the president reaffirmed Panama’s commitment to sovereignty and peace, recalling the importance of maintaining respectful relations with the new United States government. However, he made it clear that, although there are many issues of bilateral cooperation, such as illegal migration and drug trafficking, the Canal is an issue that unites all Panamanians under one flag.  For Mulino, the defense of the homeland, and in particular of the Canal, is an unwavering principle. “The homeland comes first,” he concluded, calling for national unity in the face of any attempt to question Panamanian sovereignty over this vital interoceanic route.