The 25th anniversary of the United States’ transfer of authority over Panama’s interoceanic canal was recently celebrated, but it was overshadowed by President-elect Donald Trump’s vow to demand that Washington regain control.
The celebration was held two days after the passing of former US President Jimmy Carter, who signed the accords that eventually resulted in the transfer of the crucial waterway decades later in 1977.
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“A sadness… fills us with the death of Jimmy Carter,” stated Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino during the anniversary event, which took place at the offices of the Panama Canal Authority.
On December 31, 1999, a minute of silence was observed in honor of Carter, who had approved the deal that allowed the United States to transfer the canal, which had been finished in 1914, to Panama.
“Today we feel the same emotion” as we did on that day 25 years ago, former Panamanian President Mireya Moscoso, who presided over the historic transfer at the turn of the century, noted reporters.
Trump and his recent threats were not brought up by Mulino or any of the other speakers at Tuesday’s event.
However, by threatening to demand that the canal “be returned to us” if Panama is unable to guarantee its “secure, efficient, and reliable operation,” the US president-elect has infuriated Panamanians.
Unsupported by facts, Trump has accused the Chinese military of “lovingly, but illegally, operating” the canal and criticized what he called “ridiculous” tolls for US ships using it.
Many Panamanians and the country’s political elite have vehemently opposed Trump’s warnings.
The Treaties of 1977 “put an end to an era of subjugation and began a period of independence and dignity,” Another previous head of state, Martin Torrijos, told reporters.
“Any attempt to reverse or violate our sovereignty will be condemned and rejected by all Panamanians,” he added.
Mulino has rejected talks with Trump on the management of the canal and denied that China had any say in the matter.
He recently stated, “There are no Chinese soldiers in the canal, for the love of God.”
A graphic artist named Francisco Cedeno, 51, called Trump’s warnings “completely nonsensical.”
Added Cedeno, “He should first try to resolve his country’s many problems and forget about the canal,”
The Panama Canal, which was opened in 1914 and enables ships to bypass the lengthy and dangerous voyage around the southern point of South America, is thought to handle 5% of all marine traffic worldwide.
With 74% of all cargo, the United States is the largest consumer, followed by China with 21%.
Many Panamanians claim they have not benefited from the canal, which has contributed around $28 billion to state coffers since 2000 and accounts for 6% of the country’s GDP and 20% of its fiscal receipts.
“We Panamanians should not be as poor as we are because the canal brings in a lot of money,” Clotilde Sanchez, a 55-year-old cleaner in the financial sector of Panama City, stated.
“The people don’t benefit from the canal, only politicians do,” stated 40-year-old coworker Nadili Perez.
Around 20 Panamanians were slain in 1964 when students attempted to fly the Panamanian flag in the old “Canal Zone,” a US enclave with its own military installations, police force, and legal system. They were honored during a recent event.
