Julie Green, a Professor of American Studies, and Michelle Fleury, BBC's North America business correspondent, dive deep into the Panama Canal's storied past and its recent resurgence in U.S. political discourse. They discuss Trump’s ambitions to reclaim the canal, viewed as a strategic move against China's growing influence. Green highlights the engineering marvel behind the canal, while Fleury analyzes the economic implications and rising transit fees that are reshaping U.S.-Panama relations.
The historical control of the Panama Canal by the U.S. reflects ongoing tensions regarding sovereignty and national identity in Panama.
Trump's focus on reclaiming the Panama Canal underscores geopolitical anxieties about Chinese influence in Latin America and its economic implications.
Deep dives
The History of the Panama Canal
The Panama Canal, a monumental engineering feat, was envisioned long before its construction, with the first attempts occurring in the 1880s under French leadership, notably by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had previously built the Suez Canal. This initial French effort ended in failure, marked by mismanagement and a staggering loss of life due to disease, resulting in over 20,000 deaths. Following the cessation of French efforts, the United States took over the project in the early 1900s, successfully leveraging advancements in medical and engineering knowledge to combat yellow fever and malaria while constructing crucial infrastructure to support the workforce. The U.S. efforts culminated in the canal's completion in 1914, significantly altering global trade routes and setting the stage for ongoing discussions about control and sovereignty in the region.
U.S. Control and Panama's Nationalism
The U.S. maintained control over the Panama Canal and its surrounding zone for decades, despite rising nationalism within Panama and increasing tensions regarding sovereignty. Throughout the mid-20th century, these tensions escalated significantly, culminating in the 1964 riots that resulted in numerous casualties, igniting widespread calls for the U.S. to relinquish its claim over the canal. The growing sentiment in Panama, that U.S. governance represented a neocolonial presence, led to negotiations that ultimately resulted in the landmark treaties of 1977. These agreements established a timeline for the gradual handover of the canal to Panama, concluding with full control transferring by the end of 1999, amidst changing global attitudes towards colonialism.
Current U.S.-Panama Relations and China's Influence
In recent years, concerns have arisen regarding China's increasing influence in Panama, particularly regarding economic interests and the control over vital infrastructure around the canal. Recent statements from U.S. political leaders and President Trump have suggested a desire to re-establish some form of U.S. control or influence, citing fears of unfair transit fees imposed on American vessels and perceived threats from Chinese investments. This dynamic reflects a broader geopolitical context where U.S. officials express apprehension about China's footprint in Latin America, particularly relating to trade and security interests. The historical context of U.S.-Panama relations, shaped by the legacy of the canal, adds complexity to ongoing discussions about sovereignty, economic partnerships, and strategic military interests in the region.
Since returning to the White House, Donald Trump has made a string of expansionist foreign policy announcements, angering several of his international counterparts. After reiterating his ambitious intention to purchase Greenland, and renaming the Gulf of Mexico, the US president doubled down on his insistence that Washington should regain control of the Panama Canal, the essential shipping passage he claims has been commandeered by China. Built by the United States in the early twentieth century, the waterway transformed global trade and marked America’s emergence as a superpower on the world stage, before being transferred to Panamanian control via a 1977 treaty. So why has Donald Trump got it in his sights now?
On this episode Jonny Dymond speaks to Julie Greene, a professor of American studies at the University of Maryland, about the storied history of the Panama Canal. And the BBC’s North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury discusses the politics and economics behind the Trump administration's diplomatic pursuit of the trade route.
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Producers: Laurie Kalus, Mhairi MacKenzie and Beth Timmins
Sound engineer: Annie Smith
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