Will Trump invade Panama?
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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Forgive us if we missed it, but we don’t recall Donald Trump campaigning to invade Panama and retake its famous canal. But there was the President-elect on the weekend, threatening our Central American ally with punishment if it doesn’t meet his demands.
“Our Navy and commerce have been treated in a very unfair and injudicious way. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama—I say, very foolishly, by the United States," Mr. Trump told a crowd in Phoenix.
“This complete ripoff of our country will immediately stop." He added: “We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America in full, quickly and without question. I’m not going to stand for it. So to the officials of Panama, please be guided accordingly." *** Where did that come from? Did some shipping magnate whisper in Mr.
Trump’s ear? Panama’s President José Raúl Mulino quickly rebutted Mr. Trump and said Panama will defend its interests. Mr.
Trump replied on Truth Social, “We’ll see about that." So what is Mr. Trump proposing to do—invade? Make the Americas in the image of William McKinley and Teddy Roosevelt again? If we can introduce a few facts, Mr. Trump’s claim that Panama is gouging Americans is unfounded.
Every vessel, regardless of its flag, pays the same rate according to tonnage and type. Container ships, which carry finished goods, pay more than bulk carriers. About 75% of the total price is a toll and 25% is for services like tugboat or locomotive escorts.
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