A controversy has arisen from the statements made by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, in which he claimed that 38,000 American citizens died building the Panama Canal. However, this information has generated controversy, as it has been pointed out that the figure is not accurate.
According to historical records, around 22,000 French worked on the construction of the Panama Canal, as well as thousands of Afro-Caribbeans, Spaniards, and Italians, who contributed their effort and sacrifice to the realization of this engineering work. Nevertheless, it is highlighted that Trump's claim about the number of American victims in the construction of the canal does not align with reality.
Additionally, in his statements, President Trump also mentioned that the Chinese control the transit of the Panama Canal, which has been denied, as it is reported that it is Panamanian citizens who manage and operate this important interoceanic route. This underscores the importance of recognizing the work of all those who contributed to the construction and maintenance of the Panama Canal, regardless of their nationality.
