The Panama Canal has long been one of the most important routes for global shipping. It’s a narrow passageway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, saving ships from having to sail all the way around the tip of South America.

As United States President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term on Monday, he repeated his wishes to acquire the Panama Canal and rename the Gulf of Mexico in his inaugural speech. Trump has spoken about the canal and the Gulf of Mexico previously. On Monday, he signalled he was serious about moving ahead with both those ideas – and soon.

A long term ally and friend, it is now in the news with the new administration.  But what about Panama and cannabis?

Trump has suggested using military force to retake the Panama Canal, but such an action would involve complications.

More than 100 years after the construction of the engineering marvel that linked the Atlantic and Pacific oceans — and 25 years after the canal was returned to Panama by the US — the Panama Canal faces renewed intimidation from US President Donald Trump.

I really feel uncomfortable because it’s like when you’re big and you take a candy from a little kid,” one resident said.

Trump accuses China of undue influence and vows to regain control to protect U.S. interests. Meanwhile, Panama reaffirms its right to sovereignty

The administrator of the Panama Canal has responded to criticisms from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, denying that there is any interference from China in the canal’s operations and saying giving

The new administration sees Chinese-owned infrastructure as leverage over the waterway. Panama and some former U.S. military officials say concerns are overblown.

The US President-elect has made a number of territorial claims, against 2 military allies, and a Central American nation, the leaders of which have their own responses to this.

The neutrality of the nearly 50-mile canal, through which nearly 15,000 ships transit each year, is enshrined in Panama’s Constitution and is enforced by the autonomous Panama Canal Authority.

They say they fought too hard to wrest it from the U.S. to now hand back the waterway, which is part of the nation’s identity.