Recent statements from President-elect Donald J. Trump regarding the Panama Canal are stirring anxiety in Panama, where leaders fear a renewed U.S. aggression could jeopardize the country's diplomatic ties with the United States and push it toward China.
Trump's Threat to Panama Canal Raises Concerns Over U.S.-Panama Relations
Trump's Threat to Panama Canal Raises Concerns Over U.S.-Panama Relations
Tensions brew as Panama faces potential shift towards China amid U.S. political rhetoric.
In a ceremony honoring the victims of past U.S. intervention, Panama's president emphasized the nation's sovereignty amid rising concerns over Trump's assertion that China influenced the canal's operations. Reflecting on the historic 1964 protests against American occupation, attendees expressed dismay over Trump's militaristic rhetoric. President José Raúl Mulino affirmed, "The canal is and will continue to be Panamanian," demonstrating the nation's commitment to its independence and a wary stance toward future relations with the U.S.
The commemoration event highlighted the ongoing sensitivity of Panamanians to any perceived threats to their sovereignty, rekindling memories of a painful past and reinforcing a national resolve to maintain diplomatic autonomy amidst shifting global alliances.
The commemoration event highlighted the ongoing sensitivity of Panamanians to any perceived threats to their sovereignty, rekindling memories of a painful past and reinforcing a national resolve to maintain diplomatic autonomy amidst shifting global alliances.
