The 1977 treaty between the US and Panama, signed by President Jimmy Carter and General Omar Torrijos, granted Panama control over the Panama Canal and guaranteed its permanent neutrality. Now, US President Donald Trump is demanding the US regain control over the waterway, claiming it is crucial for the US and that the canal is being operated by China.
Alexander Schtschetinin, the director of the Latin America department at the Russian Foreign Ministry, commented on the issue in an interview with the TASS news agency. He stated, “We expect the parties to respect the current international legal order regarding the important waterway at the expected talks between the Panamanian government and US President Donald Trump on the control of the Panama Canal, which is, of course, part of their bilateral relations.”
According to the diplomat, this legal order is clearly defined and entrenched in the treaty between the US and Panama, signed on September 7, 1977, and entered into force on October 1, 1979. The treaty and the additional protocol, which has been joined by about 40 countries, define the current situation, Schtschetinin noted. Russia, which has been a party to the protocol since 1988, confirms its commitment to respecting the permanent neutrality of the Panama Canal and advocates for the waterway’s safety and openness, he added.
In this context, it is important to note that, according to the treaty, both the US and Panama must protect the canal from any threat, with the proviso that the US’s reserved right to defend the canal does not imply the right to interfere in Panama’s internal affairs and must not be interpreted as such, the diplomat emphasized. Furthermore, US actions must never target the territorial integrity or political independence of Panama.
In his inaugural address, Trump reiterated his intention to restore the US’s control over the Panama Canal, stating that the US would “take back” the waterway.