The Panama Canal has long been one of the most important routes for global shipping. It’s a narrow passageway that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, saving ships from having to sail all the way around the tip of South America.

President Donald Trump has repeated his desire to claim the Panama Canal for America, however another Central American nation could provide an alternative.

The canal, which was once owned by the United States but was handed over to Panama decades ago, gives vessels a much shorter route between the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. While the two countries could end up resolving the issue,

They say they fought too hard to wrest it from the U.S. to now hand back the waterway, which is part of the nation’s identity.

The Panamanian government formally raised concerns with the United Nations over President Trump’s threats to retake the Panama Canal, noting any threat of force would violate rules. In a letter to U.N.