Panama’s government pledged yesterday that it will continue to He defends ‘strong’ the ‘national sovereignty’ of the country after the US press reports in which Donald Trump aims to “increase” the US military presence in the state of Central America to ‘Recovered’ the check of persecution of transit.

The television network Nbc newsciting two sources in the US government, which he did not name, reported earlier yesterday that “The White House ordered the Armed Forces to present options to increase the presence of US troops in Panama”. Similar reporting transmitted the CNN.

“I have nothing else to say beyond that Panama will continue to strongly defend his territory, his canal and his national sovereignty,” The Foreign Minister stressed Javier Martins-Atacha to reporters asked about the publications.

“Let it be clear, the Panama Canal belongs to the citizens of Panama and so will remain.”

According to NBC News, TThe Joint Command of the US Armed Forces responsible for South America (Southcom, “Southern Administration”) has begun to “draw up plans for closer cooperation with Panamaic security forces” as well as for the “Less likely” scenario “US troops to occupy the Panama Canal by force”.

US Army had invaded Panama in 1989 to overturn and capture the dictator Manuel Antonio Noriegaaccused of drug trafficking. In 1994 he gradually began to withdraw from the military bases he had installed in the country.

The last American soldier left Panamaic territory on December 31, 1999 and on the same day the canal passed on to Panamaic control, under bilateral agreements negotiated with the state of Central America. Jimmy Carterthe former Democratic President (1977-1981), who passed away in December.

“Panama manages the canal and in the event of a threat, the only one who can call others to defend its operation is our country is the President of the Panamaic Republic,” Mr. Martins-Atacha insisted.

Donald Trump had announced last year and reiterated when he took power in January that the US would ‘Take back’ the canal, they had built in 1914 and was inaugurated that year. Reiterated it in a speech of all the material in Congress at the beginning of the month, to him to “Our national security is further enhanced.”

The US and China are the two main users of the passage connecting the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean, from which it passes approximately 5% of the goods moving by sea on a global scale.