Why Donald Trump is threatening to take control of the Panama Canal

For weeks, Donald Trump has asserted his intention to take control of the Panama Canal, a vital 51-mile-long waterway that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

At a press conference on January 7, a reporter asked Trump whether the United States could use military force to acquire the canal. He refused to rule it out and said we needed the canal for economic security. The president-elect's refusal to rule out an invasion of Panama does not bode well for his respect for national borders in general, and Latin America in particular.

The Panama Canal has always been closely linked to external powers. The idea of ​​connecting the two great oceans by an artificial canal was first mooted by the Spanish explorer and conquistador Vasco Nez de Balboa in the 16th century. But it was not until the 1880s that the French, following the success of the construction of the Suez Canal in Egypt, began work on the project.

And this was finally completed under the American presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. From the beginning of the U.S. project in 1903 until 1979, the Panama Canal and its surrounding area (extending five miles on both sides) remained de facto U.S. territory under the Panama Canal Zone Treaty, or the Hay-Bunau-Varilla treaty. it was officially known.

The United States and Panama would exercise joint control over the canal for the next two decades, before the United States ceded it to Panama in 1999.

Outweighs reproach

The construction of the canal was a major undertaking. It cost Americans approximately $375 million (equivalent to approximately $13 billion or $10.5 billion in today's money), making it the most expensive construction project in U.S. history at that time.

The United States has also devoted significant resources to the construction, maintenance, and successful operation of this major international waterway. Of the 40,000 workers (many of whom were certainly not Americans) employed in the construction of the canals, more than 5,600 died due to accidents or disease.

But Trump's anger is directed at the injustice he believes has been done to the United States by Panamanians in recent years. He falsely claimed that Panama had entrusted the Chinese with the operation of this once mega-American project.

On January 7, Trump said: Look, the Panama Canal is vital to our country. It is operated by China. China! And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama, we didn't give it to China. And they abused it. They abused this gift. Besides, this should never have been done.

A Hong Kong-based company called Hutchison-Whampoa operates two of the ports at the ends of the canal. But the entire canal is administered by an independent government agency, the Panama Canal Authority.

Due to existing agreements between the United States and Panama, Trump cannot legally take control of the canal. However, nothing prevents him from organizing a military takeover. And there are precedents for this in the history of American interventions in Latin America.

In January 1990, for example, President George H. Bush oversaw the ouster of America's former protégé, Panamanian President Manuel Noriega. A month-long military invasion called Operation Just Cause, launched under the pretext of protecting U.S. interests and security in the region, ultimately resulted in the deaths of 23 U.S. troops, 150 members of the Panamanian Defense Forces and 'around 500 civilians.

Trump's argument that the Panama Canal is a vital national asset for the United States and crucial to protecting and promoting its economy and security will likely resonate with hawks in his administration as well as his popular base.

Flames engulfed buildings in Panama City during clashes between Panamanian defense forces and U.S. troops during the invasion of Panama in December 1989. Everett Collection/Shutterstock The Role of the United States in Latin America

The United States has repeatedly intervened in Latin American countries over the past 200 years. These interventions were primarily undertaken to stop the spread of regimes and ideologies deemed hostile to American interests.

Although these interventions violated the sovereignty of nations, they were never explicitly aimed at the taking of foreign territories by the United States. Rather, it was about installing or supporting a leader who was considered to be in the interests of the United States.

During the Cold War years, for example, the United States orchestrated more than a dozen coups across Latin America, from Brazil and Chile to El Salvador and Grenada. But he never occupied the territories of these nations.

Nonetheless, Trump's latest rhetoric has rightly rattled Panamanians. In a video posted on social media in early December 2024, the country's president, Jos Ral Mulino, said: As president, I want to clearly state that every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belongs to Panama and will remain so. Panamanian officials have since called Panama's control of the waterway non-negotiable.

If Trump decided to take the canal by force, it would seriously damage the United States' position in Latin America. It would also likely prompt many worried countries in the region to withdraw from the Organization of American States, the intergovernmental institution of which most countries in North, South America and the Caribbean are members.

Worse, it could also encourage many fearful countries to openly seek military alliances with U.S. enemies, such as Russia, China, and Iran, which would do little to strengthen U.S. security. So the real chances of the new Trump administration taking the Panama Canal by force seem very unlikely in practice.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos