Panama Canal

Jose Raul Mulino said that "tolls are not set at the whim of the (Panamanian) president and the administrator" but through a "public and open process"

Protestors in Panama have burned the American flag as well as an images of Donald Trump, after Trump demanded that control of the Panama Canal be handed over.

The US president-elect on Saturday had slammed what he called unfair fees for US ships passing through the Panama Canal and threatened to demand control of the waterway be returned to Washington.

The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and is an important route for global trade. President-elect Donald Trump criticized the United States for giving it up to Panama.

President-elect Donald Trump has warned that the U.S. could take back control of the Panama Canal, accusing Panama of charging excessive fees on U.S. ships that are using the crucial waterway for shipping.

Unlike other waterways such as the Suez Canal, the Panama Canal, which usually handles about six percent of global maritime trade, operates with rainwater from the artificial lakes Gatun and Alajuela.

The Panama Canal Authority said Monday that it had informed clients it would gradually allow up to 32 ships through per day, compared with a limit of 27 announced a month ago.

The facility in Panama City was built by a consortium led by China Harbor Engineering Company with an investment of more than $200 million, according to President Laurentino Cortizo.

Since last year, authorities have had to limit vessel traffic through the canal, which handles about six percent of global maritime trade.

Severe drought has led to a significant decline in Panama Canal traffic, causing disruption to a vital global trade route

At Mexico's narrowest point, linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the government is building a railway rival to the Panama Canal with promises of economic bounty but amid fears of environmental and social harm.

Officials have enacted regulations and are encouraging shipping companies to collaborate in addressing challenges posed by a tropical storm on a critical sea route.

The drought, made worse by the Pacific phenomenon known as El Nino, has forced authorities to restrict the waterway to ships with a draft of 43 feet (13.11 meters).

The Panama Canal had previously been expected to earn about $4.9 billion in fees in 2024.

Protests in Panama, that were prompted by high inflation and fuel prices, continued on Thursday after an attempted deal with the government to cap or lower prices fell apart.