Panama has complained to the United Nations over US President Donald Trump’s “worrying” threat to seize the Panama Canal. Even it has launched an audit of the operator of two ports on the interoceanic waterway, which is connected to Hong Kong,
The Panama City government cited a clause in the UN Charter that prohibits any member from the threat or use of force against the political independence or territorial integrity of another in a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The letter, which was given to reporters, calls on Guterres to bring the issue before the UN Security Council without requesting that a meeting be called.
Trump reiterated in his inauguration speech on Monday that China was essentially “operating” the Panama Canal by expanding its presence around the waterway, which the US had turned over to China at the end of 1999.
“We didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama. And we’re taking it back,” Trump said.
After that, the office of the Panamanian comptroller, which is in charge of overseeing public corporations, declared that “an exhaustive audit” will be conducted at the Panama Ports Company “to ensure the efficient and transparent use of public resources.”
The business runs the ports of Balboa and Cristobal on either end of the canal as a division of Hutchison Ports, a division of the Hong Kong-based conglomerate CK Hutchison Holdings.
The goal, according to the comptroller’s office, was to ascertain whether the business was adhering to the terms of its concession agreements, which included providing the state with accurate reports of its earnings, payments, and contributions.
