President Donald Trump demands free access to Panama and Suez Canals
U.S. President Donald Trump declared on Saturday that American warships and commercial vessels should be granted free access to both the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal. In a post on the Truth Social platform, President Trump stated he had instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the matter without delay.
In brief
US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that American warships and merchant ships should use the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal free of charge. In a post on the Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump said he had instructed Secretary of State Marco Rubio to address the matter immediately. The Panama Canal accounts for about 40 percent of annual US container traffic, and the United States handed control of the waterway to Panama in 1999.
Reuters reminds that the Panama Canal forms the narrowest point between North and South America, allowing vessels the fastest passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Approximately 40 percent of the United States' annual container shipping passes through the Panama Canal.
Meanwhile, Egypt’s Suez Canal, linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea, remains one of the world’s most critical maritime routes.
The United States completed the construction of the Panama Canal in the early 20th century but transferred control to Panama in 1999. Since taking office in January, President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to "reclaim" the canal for the United States, even suggesting that military force could be used if necessary. He has accused Panama of imposing excessively high fees on American vessels and of allowing Chinese influence over the canal’s management.
In early April, a new intergovernmental agreement was signed under which Panama agreed to the stationing of U.S. military forces in areas adjacent to the canal. However, the agreement explicitly rules out the establishment of permanent military bases.
Source: PAP / Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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