Colombian President Gustavo Petro has slammed Donald Trump’s proposal to retake the Panama Canal.
Petro, a former Marxist guerilla and vocal supporter of Joe Biden, wrote in a submit on the X platform that the variety of unlawful migrants crossing heading to the southern border would enhance by “tens of millions” except Trump acknowledged the canal belongs to Panama.
He wrote:
Till the final penalties I shall be on the aspect of Panama and the protection of its sovereignty.
If the brand new US authorities needs to speak enterprise, we’ll speak enterprise, head to head, and for the good thing about our individuals, however dignity won’t ever be negotiated.
President Trump has made a mistake and contradicted himself. If he doesn’t need myriads crossing the Darien, elevated by tens of millions from Panama to Mexico, he should perceive that it’s going to rely on the prosperity and freedom of our peoples.
If it appears costly to pay to cross the Panama Canal into the arms of Panamanians, it will likely be rather more costly to plunge Panama, South America, Central America or Mexico into poverty.
In the event that they don’t need us within the US, we should make all the Americas affluent in independence, freedom and democratic dignity.
Hasta las últimas consecuencias estaré al lado de Panamá y la defensa de su soberanía.
Si el nuevo gobierno de EEUU quiere hablar de negocios, hablaremos de negocios, de tú a tú, y en beneficio de nuestros pueblos, pero jamás, se negociará la dignidad.
El presidente Trump se ha…
— Gustavo Petro (@petrogustavo) December 22, 2024
Panama and Colombia share a harmful and uninhabited border often called the Darien Hole. Hundreds of thousands of migrants, notably from Colombia and Venezuela, have used the Darien Gap to journey north by way of Central America after which enter the USA illegally.
The Panama Canal was constructed by the U.S. in 1914 and remained below its management till 1999 after former President Jimmy Carter agreed a deal wherein it might be handed over to Panama.
Nonetheless, the incoming president has made the case that Panama is now charging America exorbitant charges and permitting China to broaden its affect over the canal’s operations.
“When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Greenback, throughout his time period in Workplace, it was solely for Panama to handle, not China, or anybody else,” Trump wrote in a submit on Fact Social on Saturday.
“It was likewise not given for Panama to cost the USA, its Navy, and companies, doing enterprise inside our Nation, exorbitant costs and charges of passage.”
“Our Navy and Commerce have been handled in a really unfair and injudicious means. The charges being charged by Panama are ridiculous, particularly realizing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This entire ‘rip-off’ of our Nation will instantly cease,” he continued.
In the meantime, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino mentioned in a video posted to social media that “each sq. meter of the Panama Canal and its adjoining space belongs to Panama and can proceed to belong to Panama” and that the phrases of the earlier deal are “irreversible.”
Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024
“We’ll see about that!” Trump responded.
