Well, folks, here we go again—another foreign leader puffing out his chest and thumping the podium, this time over the U.S.-built Panama Canal. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino took to the airwaves Sunday with a fiery video message aimed directly at President-elect Donald Trump, making it crystal clear: Panama isn’t giving back control of the canal. Not now, not ever.
Let’s set the scene. On Saturday, Trump—never one to shy away from blunt talk—suggested that if Panama didn’t stop gouging U.S. companies and the U.S. Navy with exorbitant fees, America might just take back the canal. Cue Mulino, in full nationalist mode, declaring, “Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to PANAMA, and will continue to be.”
Well, isn’t that cute? But let’s not forget why the canal exists in the first place. It wasn’t Panama that designed, engineered, and sweat blood to carve that marvel of infrastructure through some of the most difficult terrain on Earth.
It was American grit, ingenuity, and taxpayer dollars. And for nearly a century, the U.S. managed and operated it efficiently. Then came President Jimmy Carter, who signed away control of the canal in a deal that history has judged—let’s be kind here—poorly.
🇵🇦 Mensaje del Presidente José Raúl Mulino 🇵🇦 pic.twitter.com/DMXU8qAuNT
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) December 22, 2024
Mulino went on to defend Panama’s steep toll rates, claiming they’re determined transparently and based on “market conditions, international competition, operating costs, and the maintenance and modernization needs” of the canal. Sure, José. Because every U.S. shipping company that’s been slammed with sky-high toll increases feels so comforted by that explanation.
But here’s the kicker: Mulino knows—knows—that Panama doesn’t have the military strength to back up these big, bold words. He’s leading a nation without a standing army and relying entirely on diplomacy and, let’s face it, America’s patience. When he says, “The sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable,” what he really means is: “Please, let’s not get carried away here.”
To his credit, Mulino did strike a note of diplomacy, saying he wants a “good and respectful relationship” with the United States and emphasizing shared concerns like illegal migration, drug trafficking, and organized crime. But let’s not kid ourselves—that olive branch came only after a full-blown nationalist monologue aimed at riling up his domestic audience.
Here’s the reality: The Panama Canal isn’t just a waterway. It’s a geopolitical lifeline, a global economic artery, and, frankly, an American engineering triumph. And while nobody wants to see this relationship devolve into threats and bluster, Trump’s warning wasn’t without merit. U.S. businesses have been squeezed, and if Panama keeps testing America’s patience, it might find out that American resolve doesn’t fade as quickly as a viral video.