Panama rejects US claim via free channel crossing

Panama rejects US claim via free channel crossing

On Wednesday, Panama rejected the US State Department's claim that the Central American nation had agreed not to raise fees for the passage of US government ships by the famous Panama Canal.

press release from the Panama Canal Authority

In an official message, the Panama Canal Authority, which is authorized to determine the toll fees and other fees for the passage: "We have not made any adjustments to the fees." In addition, the authority declared its willingness to record a dialogue with the USA.

clarification of the US claims

Panama's statement directly contradicted the previous statement by the US State Department, which had explained the evening before: "US government ships can now drive through the Panama Canal, which saves the US government millions of dollars every year." This explanation was published on X, accompanied by a picture of a naval risk that is entered into the locks of the canal.

Financial aspects of ship transport

In the past 26 years, the US government has paid a total of $ 25.4 million for the passage of war and submarine, which corresponds to less than one million dollars a year, according to a explanation of the Panamesian embassy in Cuba. CNN asked the US State Department to comment.

political tensions and Trump's statements

This recent controversy broke only a few days after President Donald Trump confirmed his intention to recover the Panama Canal and warned of "powerful" US measures in an escalating diplomatic dispute with the Central American country about China's presence in the vicinity of the important waterway. "China runs the Panama Canal, which was not handed over to China, but stupidly to Panama. They violated the agreement and we will get it back, or something very powerful will happen," Trump told reporters on Sunday.

diplomatic negotiations with Panama

hours earlier, the diplomatic excitement, caused by Trump's repeated and publicly expressed wishes to get control of the channel back, calmed down somewhat after Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, who went on his first trip abroad as a US diplomat, met Panama's President Raúl Mulino. Mulino made it clear that Panama's sovereignty over the channel was not up for debate, but he also explained that he had addressed Washington's concerns about the alleged influence of Beijing.

Deploying from the Chinese development initiative

Mulino announced that Panama signed a memorandum in 2017 about the participation in China's initiative for foreign development, known as the Belt and road -initiative. He also indicated that the agreement with Beijing could possibly be ended prematurely.

The historical background of the Panama Canal

The channel was in 1977 according to a contract for the USA to intervene militarily if the operating activity of the waterway is disturbed by internal conflicts or foreign powers. Today more cargo ships pass the channel than under US control.