The idea aired at the beginning of the Christmas holidays, but its impact was felt across Latin America. US president-elect Donald Trump’s suggestion to regain control of the Panama Canal sparked a wave of solidarity, with leaders from Mexico to Chile to Colombia rejecting the idea and reaffirming the sovereignty of the territories in the region. The response was unanimous: “The interoceanic route belongs to the Panamanians.”
The Mexican president, Claudia Sheinbaum, Colombian president, Gustavo Petro, the governments of Chile, Bolivia, and Venezuela, and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, demanded compliance with the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which handed over the Panama Canal to Panama City.
Trump’s suggestion was met with immediate rejection by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, who emphasized that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent zone belongs to Panama. Trump’s claims were also disputed by historical and academic sources, with the University of Maryland history professor Julie Greene citing official statistics showing that 5,800 people died during the construction of the canal, not 38,000 as Trump claimed.
The incident has triggered a wave of national pride in some neighboring countries, with Colombian President Gustavo Petro emphasizing the importance of development and autonomy in the region. The dispute over the Panama Canal has also revealed a broader trend in Trump’s approach to international diplomacy, with some viewing it as a pattern of exploitation and a lack of respect for sovereign nations. The incident may also be just one of the Republican magnate’s open fronts in Latin America following his inauguration on January 20.