Panama's Presidential Conversations: Panamanian Reaction to US Threats

The Central American country of Panama is dealing with escalating diplomatic fallouts from the US. The US President has publicly threatened to seize Panama's rights over the Panama Canal because of China's influence. The current president of Panama has spoken out against this threat and reassured reporters that the US will not use force to retake the canal. The US President's threat has been building over time as he repeatedly attempts to intimidate Panama to stop their dealings with China. The US President has recently reiterated his bold threat to reclaim the Panama Canal. This time he claims that China is secretly running the canal. The United States has repeatedly objected to China's involvement in the canal over fears that its growing influence could pose a threat to the US According to President Trump, China's growing influence in Panama is alarming to US leadership. President Trump claims that the United States is entitled to control of the key waterway because they had control before 1977. This drastic threat from Trump should be taken seriously by the Panamanian government and officials. The US President has claimed that if he doesn't get what he wants, he will take the canal by force. He even said that an act of war would happen if Panama continues the dealings with China. The Canal could end up in the middle of a diplomatic crisis between the US, China, and Panama. The talks around the Panama Canal have been going on for some time but the conversation seems to be intensifying between the US President and Panama's president. It's likely that China's influence will continue to grow. This could have an impact on the canal itself, which happens to be one of the most important waterways in the world. The canal is a key resource for America and neighboring countries and the US President has made it clear that he will not let it fall into enemies hands. This canal is a significant resource for the US. Many have pointed out that the canal is actually under Panama's control. Panama has been working to build up their economy by partnering with China. But the US has made it clear that they won't allow that to happen. Now, the US President has threatened that if Panama doesn't stop China from taking control of the canal, he will take it by force. Since Panama says it is not in any danger of falling under Chinese control, they claim there is no risk of the US seizing the canal. This might not be the end of the story. The US President has repeatedly made it clear that he wants action taken against China's involvement in the canal. President Trump's actions aren't the only strange thing happening in Central America. It turns out that there is a program being organized to return immigrants to their home countries. This controversial program will be financed entirely by the US. Panama has agreed to work with the US on the details of the program. It seems like Panama only gets involved in programs if the US is paying. The program is aimed at preventing migrants from trying to reach the United States from all over South and Central America. The program is specifically meant to reduce the number of migrants from Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador. The program will involve migrant flights, which will take place in the "Darien Gap" region of the canal. The goal of the program is to prevent these immigrants from even reaching the US. In return, the US has agreed to pay for everything, including airfare for the planes. The US President wants Panama to stop partnering with China and serve the US instead. He believes that the migration program is a great opportunity to exact payments from Trump's plan. It seems that there are some benefits to the partnership, but also a lot of chaos and confusion. Panama could benefit from investments in their infrastructure from the US, and possibly from China as well. However, the threat of US intervention is looming over the country. The US President wants Panama to know what an important resource the canal is to them, and that they will not stand for China's involvement in the waterway. This move from Trump is a drastic violation of Panama's sovereignty and he is using threats to force them to comply, which is a bit unsettling. The Canal is one of the most valuable resources in the world, and the US President has made sure that Panama knows that. The threat is clear, but it's uncertain whether Panama's president is going to back down from the deal with China. The US President makes it very clear that they are keeping a close eye on Panama and that they will take action if needed. So far, it seems that Panama is standing firm in their position. Only time will tell if Panama is going to give in to the US President's demands. But the future of the canal is left uncertain and the US President's threats are causing more confusion than anything else. It's a tense situation for the United States, Panama, and China.