this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2024
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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/23416568

Summary

Donald Trump criticized Panama Canal fees as “ridiculous” and demanded lower costs or the canal’s return to the US.

In a Truth Social post, Trump also expressed concern about potential Chinese influence over the waterway, despite no direct Chinese control of canal operations.

The canal, transferred to Panama in 1999, is vital for global trade, handling 5% of maritime traffic.

Trump’s comments follow record revenues of $5 billion announced by the Panama Canal Authority. Panama has not yet responded to his statements.

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[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 94 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (3 children)

Panama has not yet responded to his statements.

Hopefully they just ignore him. And hopefully other countries start doing that too.

No government ahould be compelled to respond to Truth Social posts.

[–] Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com 31 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, best case scenario is that the rest of the world starts to consciously uncouple from the US, taking away the ability of the incoming fascist government to strongarm "allies" into doing and saying everything they want or suffer financial and diplomatic ruin.

[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 14 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

It's already happening. If Trump attempts to go Neville Chamberlain on Ukraine, the Europeans (at least a large group of them) are willing to tell him to fuck off.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 6 points 16 hours ago

Hopefully. Time will tell.

[–] futatorius@lemm.ee 7 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

No civilized person should be compelled to listen to Trump's whiny gob.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 7 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

They could do something really funny and double it.

[–] kbal@fedia.io 10 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

They probably can't afford to double the fees for everyone, their canal would be out of business. But double the fees only for American-flagged vessels might be feasible.

[–] captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works 9 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

It's my understanding the canal is already almost out of business because they don't have enough water. They limit travel through the canal to avoid emptying Lake Gatun.

[–] AA5B@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

You could argue they need to raise prices, both to account for the natural resource degradation and to reduce congestion to a sustainable level

[–] stephen01king@lemmy.zip 5 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

As long as the fees as still lower than the cost to go around South America, I'm sure they'll still have business.

[–] RobotToaster@mander.xyz 6 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Until global warming makes the northwest passage practical, anyway.

[–] stephen01king@lemmy.zip 2 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

How much global temperature increase would we need for that route to be viable? Have there been any research on this?

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 5 points 16 hours ago

You bet there's been research on the northwest passage by every shipping and oil company with enough money to spend on research. A brand new shortcut around the world is the dream.