A Panamanian national holiday remembering the killing of 21 protesters by police and U.S. troops in 1964 is taking on new resonance this year as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatens to take back control of the Panama Canal.

Hundreds of Panamanians marched on Thursday to mark the anniversary of a deadly uprising against U.S. control of the Panama Canal in 1964, with some protesters burning an effigy of President-elect Donald Trump who has threatened to retake the vital global waterway.

Treaties ratified by the Senate in 1978 established permanent neutrality, but some Republicans regret that decision.

PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER said that returning control of the Panama Canal to the government of Panama would open global trade opportunities, reduce anti-American feeling in Latin America and boost his country’s prestige.

Donald Trump has refused to rule out using military force to retake the Panama Canal that was returned by the US to Panama decades ago.

The Panama Canal Authority chief dismissed President-elect Trump’s claims that China is controlling the trade route and criticized his comments about fees. Ricaurte Vásquez Morales told The Wall

The Panama Canal Authority leader denied that China controls the waterway, warning President-elect Donald Trump's against ending the Neutrality Treaty.

Panama rejected suggestions of Chinese influence over its canal and dismissed threats of possible US military action on January 7, after President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out force to regain control of the strategic waterway.