President José Raúl Mulino of Panama has reasserted his country’s sovereignty over the Panama Canal. That's after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to take back control of the vital trade route, claiming Panama has been charging excessive rates to use it.
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00:00Panama's President Jose Raul Molino has reaffirmed the Central American country's sovereignty
00:05over the Panama Canal after US President-elect Donald Trump threatened to take back control
00:10of the waterway.
00:11I want to express in a precise manner that every square meter of the Panama Canal and
00:17its adjacent area is Panama's and will continue to be.
00:22The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable.
00:29President Molino took to X to make the statement where he defended the passage rates his country
00:34charges saying, quote, rates are not a whim.
00:37In a speech to supporters in Arizona, Trump said Panama had been charging excessive fees
00:42to use the passage and warned of potential Chinese influence on the Panama Canal.