Russia warned President Trump on Tuesday after he reiterated plans to take control of the Panama Canal in his second inaugural address.
“We expect the U.S. and Panama to respect the current international legal framework governing this key waterway,” said Alexander Shchetinin, head of Russia’s Latin American Department. He stressed that both countries should honor the neutrality of the canal, a commitment Russia has upheld since 1988.
Trump, criticizing the canal’s management, accused China of operating it and claimed American ships are unfairly charged. Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino rejected Trump’s remarks, reaffirming that the canal remains under Panamanian control with no foreign interference.
The U.S. built the canal but handed control to Panama in 1999 under a treaty signed by President Carter. Shchetinin emphasized that the treaty protects the canal’s neutrality and forbids U.S. interference in Panama’s sovereignty.
