– In 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt backed a revolution in Colombia, leading to the creation of Panama as an independent nation. – The goal? To secure U.S. control over the strategic Panama Canal.
The U.S. spent millions of dollars to buy excavation work already started by a French company, which had failed due to disease and financial mismanagement.
– This treaty, signed in 1903, was drafted without Panamanian input and gave the U.S. full control over the canal zone. – In exchange, Panama received just $10 million and a yearly payment—a deal that heavily favored the U.S.
– The canal was critical for global trade and military power, allowing the U.S. to control key maritime routes. – The U.S. maintained control over the canal until 1999, despite decades of Panamanian demands for sovereignty.
– Protests and the 1977 Torrijos-Carter Treaties led to a gradual transfer of control to Panama by the year 2000. – Today, Panama fully owns and operates the canal, making billions from global trade.
– The claim that the U.S. can reclaim the canal under the Hay-Bunau-Varilla Treaty is misleading. – The treaty became void once Panama gained full control. The U.S. no longer has a legal claim to the canal.
– The U.S. built the canal for strategic and economic dominance, not as an act of goodwill. – Today, China and other global players are increasing their influence in Panama, making it a critical battleground in global trade and politics once again.
The idea that the U.S. has the right to "take back" the Panama Canal ignores the historical reality that Panama was created as a U.S. puppet state to serve American interests. The canal was never a "gift"—it was a calculated investment in global dominance.