Crossing contradictory ads between the Trump administration and the Panama Canal. The US State Department announced Wednesday that the Central American country had accepted Do not charge your ships by transit by this interoceanic route to be denied hours later by the Panama Canal Authority (ACP). An episode that occurs in the midst of the president’s pressures Donald Trump to “recover” the sea.
“In response to publication released by the United States Department of State, the Panama Canal Authority, empowered to fix tolls and other rights to travel the channel, communicates that has not made any adjustment to the same“The entity has clarified in a statement.
The ACP, independent by constitutional mandate of the Panamanian government, adds nevertheless in disposition to establish a dialogue with the relevant officials of the United States regarding the transit of warships in that country. ”
A reaction that came hours after the State Departmentin a message posted on the social network X, announced that “The Panama Government has agreed not to charge fas more tariffs to the ships of the United States government that transit on the Panama Canal, which allows it to save millions of dollars a year. “The announcement immediately triggered a great debate in Panama, in which many saw the neutrality of the channel danger or his sovereignty.
The channel, at Trump’s point
Also this Wednesday, the Pentagon reported that the US Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, had remarked during a call the previous day with the Minister of Public Security of Panama, Frank Abrego, the US interest in “ensuring access without restrictions” to the channel and “keep it free of foreign interference.”
That conversation occurred in the middle of the tension between both countries Following Trump’s claim to “recover” the control of the Panama Canal for the alleged Chinese influence on the road. Given this, the Panama government agreed not to renew the cooperation agreement with China on the new Silk route, among other measures.
The Panama Canal Authority had already advanced last Sunday to Secretary of State Frame .
“The Panama Canal Authority told Secretary Rubio his willingness to work with the Navy From that country to optimize the priority in the transit of its ships through the channel, “the entity then reported, shortly after the visit of the head of US diplomacy to the road, where he met with his administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez.
Trump bases his threats on the Alleged presence of China on the road that joins Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the “unfair” treatment towards ships in the United States, despite the evidence of the official Panamanian information, which shows that the ships of the North American country pay the same rates than others, by virtue of the Neutrality Treaty.
According to data from the Panama Canal cited by EFE, since 1998 and at the end of fiscal year 2024, of a total of 373,039 ships that traveled the channel, 994 (0.3%) correspond to warships and submarines of the Navy of the Navy of USA. “In this period of time, traffic revenues in this concept have added 25.4 million dollars, which is equivalent to less than one million dollars a year“, He details, which also contradicts the affirmation of the Trump administration on saving millions a year in rates.
Since the inauguration of the road, in 1914, the toll paid by wars Floating dry, according to the ACP. This toll structure is different from the one used to establish the toll of commercial ships.
Source: Lasexta
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