The Republican describes the Panama Canal as a “vital asset” for the US and promises to put an end to the “ridiculous tariffs”
The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has affirmed this Saturday that the Panama Canal is a “vital national asset” for the country and has denounced that “the tariffs that Panama charges are ridiculous” and that this “scam” to the US “will cease immediately”, denouncing that if the principles are not respected they will demand its return.
The Republican has insisted that they will “never” allow “it to fall into the wrong hands”. “It was not granted for the benefit of others, but simply as a sign of cooperation with us and Panama. If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of donation are not respected, we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in its entirety and without question,” he denounced.
“The tariffs Panama charges are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been granted to Panama by the US. This complete ‘scam’ of our country will cease immediately…”, the Republican declared on his account on the social network Truth Social, which he himself promulgated.
In this sense, he added that the Panama Canal is considered a “vital” national asset due to “its critical role for the economy and national security of the United States.”
“Teddy Roosevelt was president of the United States at the time of its construction and understood the strength of naval power and trade. When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for one dollar, during his term, it was Panama alone who administered it, not China or anyone else,” he said.
The former president also stated that the Panama Canal “opened its doors 110 years ago and was built at an enormous cost to the United States in lives and treasure.” Some “38,000 American men died from infected mosquitoes in the jungles during construction,” he added.
“A secure Panama Canal is crucial to U.S. trade and the rapid deployment of the Navy from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and dramatically reduces shipping times to U.S. ports. The U.S. is the Canal’s number one user, with more than 70 percent of all transits heading to or from U.S. ports,” he said.
