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 post on the X platform that the number of illegal migrants crossing heading to the southern border would increase by “millions” unless Trump recognized the canal belongs to Panama.
He wrote:
Until the last consequences I will be on the side of Panama and the defense of its sovereignty.
If the new US government wants to talk business, we will talk business, face to face, and for the benefit of our people, but dignity will never be negotiated.
President Trump has made a mistake and contradicted himself. If he does not want myriads crossing the Darien, increased by millions from Panama to Mexico, he must understand that it will depend on the prosperity and freedom of our peoples.
If it seems expensive to pay to pass the Panama Canal into the hands of Panamanians, it will be much more expensive to plunge Panama, South America, Central America or Mexico into poverty.
If they don’t want us in the US, we must make all of the Americas prosperous 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 dangerous and uninhabited border known as the Darien Gap. Millions of migrants, particularly from Colombia and Venezuela, have used the Darien Gap to travel north through Central America and then enter the United States illegally.
The Panama Canal was constructed by the U.S. in 1914 and remained under its control until 1999 after former President Jimmy Carter agreed a deal in which it would be handed over to Panama.
However, the incoming president has made the case that Panama is now charging America exorbitant fees and allowing China to expand its influence over the canal’s operations.
“When President Jimmy Carter foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar, during his term in Office, it was solely for Panama to manage, not China, or anyone else,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Saturday.
“It was likewise not given for Panama to charge the United States, its Navy, and corporations, doing business within our Country, exorbitant prices and rates of passage.”
“Our Navy and Commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop,” he continued.
Meanwhile, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said in a video posted to social media that “every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama” and that the terms of the previous 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.
Ben Kew is a writer and editor. Originally from the UK, he moved to the U.S. to cover Congress for Breitbart News and has since gone on to editorial roles at Human Events, Townhall Media, and Americano Media. He has also written for The Epoch Times, The Western Journal, and The Spectator.
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