The Panama Canal Authority on Wednesday denied the U.S. State Department's claim that U.S. government vessels would be able to cross the canal without paying fees, likely ratcheting up tensions after President Donald Trump threatened to take back control of the crossing.
The canal authority, an autonomous agency overseen by the Panamanian government, said in a statement that it had not made any changes to charge fees or rights to cross the canal, adding its statement was directly in response to the U.S. claims.
The U.S. State Department had said earlier in the day that Panama's government had agreed to no longer charge crossing fees for U.S. government vessels, in a move that would save the U.S. millions of dollars a year.
"With total responsibility, the Panama Canal Authority, as it has indicated, is willing to establish dialogue with relevant U.S. officials regarding the transit of wartime vessels from said country," the canal authority responded.
Posted by John3262005
4 Comments
Snip snap
Trump may keep pushing until Panama gives up part ownership of the canal in exchange for military protection.
That’s the logical endpoint short of boots on the ground.
Yeah, given all those neutrality treaties the US made them sign, wouldn’t giving US government ships fee-free transit mean they’d have to give *all* government ships fee-free transit?
Before the canal, boats had to go all the way around Florida. Progress is amazing.