The Panama Canal. AFP file photo
President Trump made the Panama Canal one of the sensitive issues in his geopolitical vision. AFP file photo

"I Took Panama... Again": Trump insists on taking the Panama Canal, but forgets some history

Panama has a complex history: it separated from Colombia in 1904 and achieved one of the largest infrastructure projects of the time, not without some scandal.

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In his recent inauguration speech, Donald Trump stirred up a political firestorm by declaring that he will seek to "take back" control of the Panama Canal. "China operates the Panama Canal, and we didn't give it to China; we gave it to Panama. And we are going to take it back."

These words generated much concern in the Panamanian government, which immediately responded by ratifying its sovereignty over the entire territory. The debate has been intense and could continue to escalate if the US president insists on the matter. However, the coordinates of the issue must be set, because Trump seems to ignore the complex history of the canal, which includes its construction, US support for Panama's independence and a key indemnity to Colombia.

The Lesseps Case

The idea of a canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans arose long before the United States became involved. In 1881, Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French engineer known for his success with the Suez Canal, attempted to build the Panama Canal.

However, the project was a resounding failure due to technical, financial and health problems, including outbreaks of malaria and yellow fever. The collapse of the Universal Interoceanic Canal Company left a legacy of debt and a corruption scandal in France known as the "Panama Scandal".

Panama's Independence

After Lesseps' failure, the U.S. government saw an opportunity to take control. In 1903, it supported Panama's independence from Colombia through military and diplomatic intervention. U.S. troops prevented Colombia from quelling the Panamanian independence movement. In exchange, the new Panamanian government signed the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty, which gave the United States exclusive rights to a strip of land to build and administer the canal.

Construction of the Canal: A monumental achievement

The construction of the Panama Canal, led by U.S. engineers, was one of the most important engineering works of the 20th century. Opened in 1914, the canal transformed world trade by drastically reducing navigation times between the oceans. Although it was a significant technical achievement, it also consolidated U.S. influence in the region, which generated resentment among Latin American countries.

The loss of Panama left deep wounds in Colombia. As part of an agreement to normalize relations, the United States and Colombia signed the Urrutia-Thomson Treaty in 1921. This treaty included $25 million in compensation for Colombia, which was earmarked for infrastructure and modernization works during the period known as the "Dance of the Millions". However, it also marked the beginning of a significant foreign indebtedness that left the country vulnerable to the crisis of the Great Depression.

Reclaiming" the canal?

More than a century after these historic events, Trump's statements seek to reverse the process of transferring the canal to Panama, completed in 1999 under the 1977 Torrijos-Carter treaties. Trump argues that the presence of Chinese companies in the operation of the canal represents a threat to U.S. interests. These assertions have been categorically rejected by the Panamanian government, which assures that the canal is and will remain Panama's.

In his inauguration speech, Trump stated that the United States had been "mistreated" with the agreement that allowed the transfer of the canal and suggested the possibility of taking unilateral action to regain control of it. This stance has generated diplomatic tensions and demonstrations in Panama, where citizens have rejected the U.S. president's statements.

Trump's words ignore how the United States initially obtained the canal, taking it from Colombia through intervention and unequal agreements. They also overlook Panama's efforts to sovereignly manage one of the most important infrastructures for global trade.

This situation highlights the foreign policy challenges in Latin America and how unilateral actions can reopen historic wounds. While Trump insists on his vision of "taking back" the canal, the region watches with concern the potential implications for Panama's sovereignty and diplomatic stability.

Where will the story end? Everything indicates that there are more chapters to come, because Donald Trump will have to explain to the world what his strategy to retake Panama will be. An option that nobody knows yet how it will materialize.

 

With information from AFP

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