At the recent “Shield of the Americas” summit, which was attended by Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, the Republican magnate ironically stated: “President of Panama, I love that canal. Jose, I think you made the greatest deal in history. He bought it for one dollar. One of our brilliant presidents. I can’t sleep over that deal. They gave it to him for one dollar.”

The comment alluded to the process by which the United States gradually transferred the administration of the interoceanic waterway to Panama, officially culminating in 1999 after decades of diplomatic negotiations.

This transfer was based on the Torrijos-Carter Treaties signed in 1977, which defined the path for the infrastructure to pass completely into Panamanian hands.

In addition to the joke, Trump emphasized that his administration maintains a firm stance against the presence of foreign powers in the region.

In that context, he stated that he will not allow hostile actors to gain influence in the Western Hemisphere, making direct reference to the strategic importance of the Panama Canal.

In response, Frenadeso stressed that these statements not only falsify history but also constitute a direct offense to the dignity of the Panamanian people.

The Panama Canal was neither a sale nor a generous concession from US imperialism.

For much of the 20th century, our country suffered the imposition of a colonial enclave that divided the national territory and placed a strategic strip of the country under the control of a foreign power, the group stated in a press release.

The recovery of the Canal was the result of decades of national resistance and the struggles of the Panamanian people.

It was the result of the sacrifice of generations who confronted colonialism and paid with persecution, repression, and human lives for the defense of national sovereignty, the document adds.

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