Recent visits to Panama by senior U.S. officials have been aimed at "undermining Panama's dignity and sovereignty," according to the state-run University of Panama.
The Central American country's leading higher education institution said in a statement that the US government's intervention was aimed at "policing" the Panama Canal.
Earlier this month, Panamanian President José Raul Mulino received various visits from senior U.S. officials, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of U.S. Southern Command.
The University of Panama noted that the visits by U.S. officials coincided with protests by unions and social organizations that rejected U.S. efforts to influence Panama's national affairs.
"The truth is that they are eager to subdue the Panamanians so that they can oversee the canal and reestablish military bases in our territory. With the last envoy, the situation is extremely delicate because there have been activities of a military nature," he said.
The institution has advocated for the neutrality of the Panama Canal and for the rights of Panamanians as "the creators of our destiny without foreign interference".
"It is necessary to free ourselves from all subordination to the interventionist policy of the United States. The Republic of Panama has no reason to join the belligerent policy of the current US President," said the University of Panama.
She warned that the US president wanted to return to the days of the "big stick", a reference to Washington's aggressive foreign policy in the past, and the world should be wary of the tariff war he had launched.
CGTN/Xinhua/CMG/gnews.cz
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