Panama's president says the canal will remain "in Panamanian hands"

Panama's president Jose Raul Mulino said Sunday that the canal will "continue to be in Panamanian hands" after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to retake it.

Every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to Panama and "will remain so," and "the sovereignty and independence of our country are not negotiable," Mulino said in a social media video post.

Mulino said he hopes to maintain a "respectful" relationship with the next U.S. government.

He also pointed out that security issues such as illegal migration, drug trafficking, terrorism, and organized crime should be a priority in the two countries' bilateral agenda.

"The Canal will continue to be in Panamanian hands as an inalienable patrimony of our nation and guaranteeing its use for the peaceful and uninterrupted transit of ships of all nations," said the Panamanian president.