Trump criticizes Panama's shipping fee increases for canal use

President-elect Donald Trump has criticized Panama for raising shipping fees for the Panama Canal. He has threatened to demand the canal's return to U.S. control if the situation does not improve after he takes office. Experts clarify that Trump cannot unilaterally reclaim the canal, which the U.S. ceded to Panama in 1999 under a treaty. The treaty allows the U.S. to ensure the canal's security but does not permit reclaiming control. Panama's President José Raúl Mulino affirmed that the canal belongs to Panama and that fee increases are necessary for improvements. Shipping costs rose due to droughts affecting canal operations, but the canal's management has improved since the U.S. handover.