CARACAS, December 25. /TASS/. Members of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) have condemned US President-elect Donald Trump’s assertion of intentions to reclaim control over the Panama Canal, labeling it a direct threat to Latin America, while reaffirming their support for Panama’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"The Panama Canal is a vital trade route safeguarded by international law <...>, and an inseparable part of Panama, so such remarks amount to an assault on this nation’s sovereignty. The Bolivarian Alliance unequivocally opposes this emerging threat to Latin American and Caribbean regions, reiterating its support for Panama in protecting its sovereignty, territorial integrity, and right to self-determination," the organization stated in a formal declaration published on X.

The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America is a regional trade and economic bloc comprised of Latin American and Caribbean nations. It was founded on December 14, 2004, through the initiatives of then-Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro. ALBA’s 10 member states include: Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Dominica, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Venezuela.

On December 21, Trump asserted on his Truth Social platform that the US should consider demanding a return of control over the Panama Canal if the current terms of its use remain unchanged. He criticized the high fees levied for utilizing the canal, emphasizing that the handover of control in 1999 was "a token of cooperation," not a permanent concession to other nations. Trump urged Panamanian authorities to reassess their policies. Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino responded by stating that the nation’s sovereignty over the canal and its independence remain inviolable.

The Panama Canal, inaugurated in 1914, was constructed and initially operated by the United States. The 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties established a phased handover of the canal to Panama, which concluded in 1999. These agreements ensured the canal’s neutrality and continued availability for global commerce. Today, the canal remains a vital artery for international trade and a strategic asset of considerable importance to the United States.