In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Panama cited UN Charter articles prohibiting threats and the use of force by member states.
Panama formally protested to the United Nations over President Trump’s threat to seize the Panama Canal, also initiating an audit of a Hong Kong-based company managing two canal ports.
A January 20th letter to Secretary-General Guterres and the UN Security Council rejected Trump’s inauguration day remarks about reclaiming the canal.
Panama’s UN mission shared the letter with reporters on Tuesday, urging Guterres to inform the Security Council without requesting a formal meeting.
The letter referenced UN Charter articles forbidding threats or use of force against a nation’s territorial integrity or political independence, arguing Trump’s statements violated this principle.
During his inaugural address, Trump reiterated his threat to “take back” the Panama Canal, a waterway built by the US and transferred to Panama in 1999.
He claimed the US had been “badly mistreated” by this transfer and that American ships faced excessive fees.
Trump also accused China of effectively “operating” the canal due to its growing presence, stating, “We didn’t give it to China; we gave it to Panama. And we’re taking it back.”
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino refuted Trump’s claim at the World Economic Forum in Davos, stating the canal was “not a concession or a gift from the United States” and that “the Panama Canal belongs to Panama and will continue to belong to Panama.”
China also denied interference, with Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning stating Beijing recognized the canal as a “permanent neutral international waterway.”
Mulino earlier issued a statement vowing to resist Trump’s attempt to reclaim the canal, calling the handover to Panama “the result of a generational struggle.”
Panama’s comptroller’s office announced on Monday that auditors had begun an “exhaustive audit” of Panama Ports Company, a Hutchison Ports Holdings subsidiary, “aimed at ensuring the efficient and transparent use of public resources.”
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