Reply to Hey is it good diplomacy to demand the Panama Canal back?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I read that Panama profits 2.5 billion per year, almost entirely from the US, from canal fees collected. I do feel that’s far too much they’re making from us.

Is it true that we also give millions to maintain the canal, beyond the fees for each ship to go through? Can anyone confirm that? I would certainly expect them to pay for their own repairs from whatever fees they collect.

We’ve provided a lot of jobs there with the canal - there shouldn’t be an enormous profit on top of that. We gave them independence and built the thing in the first place - paid by American tax dollars and American lives. It’s their choice if they want to rip off other countries but they shouldn’t be allowed to rip us off.[/quote]

Four things. One, if the US government pays anything, it’s for US military ships to pass through the canal.  And it’s not like large ships— like aircraft carriers—  can transit the canal. Most revenue comes from private businesses (American and otherwise) transporting goods through the canal to the US.  And the fee structure is tied to size, freight and operation cost.  Those businesses would not pay less money if the US owned the canal. They would just write the check to someone different.  As a nation, we aren’t paying much to use the Panama Canal. As consumers, we pay the cost added to good— but the cost of goods isn’t more because ships pay Panama instead of the US.

Two- NOPE. The Panama Canal Authority collects fees and pays for maintenance.  The Us does not pay to maintain the canal.

https://maintenanceworld.com/2023/05/17/panama-canal-maintenance-to-extend-life-another-100-years/#:~:text=Each%20year%20the%20canal%20authority,is%20currently%20experiencing%20a%20drought.

Three— you want it back?  We never owned it to begin with. Before we turned it over, we leased it and paid a lump sum up front and annual fees to Panama to lease the canal. https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/panama-canal-turned-over-to-panama[/quote]

Very well said. I wish people weren’t so dumb! [/quote]

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