Panama's president says it is impossible to return the canal to U.S. ownership

The Panama Canal will remain in the ownership of the state and will not be able to return to the United States on the basis of the 1977 treaty. This was announced by the President of Panama Jose Raul Mulino.

"Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its surrounding territory belongs to Panama and will remain so," reads a statement published on Mulino's official X page (formerly Twitter).

He clarified that Panama's sovereignty cannot be discussed, the state and its territories will remain independent. Based on the 1977 treaty, according to the president, the canal is part of Panama.

"The 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties provided for the dissolution of the former Canal Zone, the recognition of Panama's sovereignty and the full transfer of the Canal to Panama, which ended on December 31, 1999," Mulino said.

He clarified that the excessive tolls on the canal, which were mentioned by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, are not the whim of the Panamanian state, but the result of calculations of operating costs and the cost of modernizing the isthmus itself.

Also, the Panamanian president said he did not want to damage relations with the U.S. over questions about the canal's ownership.

Earlier in the day, Trump said that the U.S. will demand to regain control of the Panama Canal if the terms of its use are not revised. According to him, the Panama Canal is the most important national asset of the US.

Later, during a speech at the Turning Point USA conference, Trump said that the U.S. will demand the rapid return of the Panama Canal to national ownership. He also noted that the isthmus is essential for U.S. trade and naval deployment.

The neutrality of the Panama Canal was established in 1977 when treaties were signed between US President Jimmy Carter and Isthmus leader Omar Torrijos. The document guarantees safe and open passage for all ships in both peacetime and wartime.