In a recent Talk to Al Jazeera episode, Ricaurte Vasquez, the administrator of the Panama Canal, stands firm in defense of Panama’s sovereignty. He speaks in response to President Donald Trump’s claims that the US is being overcharged for using the canal and Trump’s insinuations of Chinese influence, which have raised alarms about potential US military intervention. This crucial waterway, responsible for 5% of global trade, is now the epicenter of an intense political maelstrom.