Panama Canal's 'Chinese Problem' – A Very American Solution
📰 THE STORY: Al Jazeera reports that a Panamanian court has declared Chinese control over key Canal ports unconstitutional, following a lawsuit brought in 2025 as the US 'threatened to seize control' of the waterway. The narrative is clear: Chinese influence is a threat, and US intervention is a reactive measure to protect the strategic asset. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context:
The Panama Canal itself is a monument to US imperialism. Theodore Roosevelt's administration, frustrated by Colombia's refusal to grant construction rights, actively supported Panamanian separatists in 1903. The US then 'negotiated' a treaty with the newly independent Panama, granting Washington perpetual control over the Canal Zone and the right to intervene in Panama's affairs. This control was
only fully relinquished on December 31, 1999, after decades of Panamanian struggle and the Torrijos–Carter Treaties signed in 1977. Double Standard: The media frames Chinese involvement as 'control' and 'unconstitutional,' implying a foreign takeover. Yet, for nearly a century (1903-1999), the US exercised explicit, military-backed control over the Canal Zone. This perpetual US presence, often
enforced with military might, was never labeled 'unconstitutional' by mainstream Western media, nor was it described as a 'threat' to regional sovereignty. When China invests in infrastructure, it's 'debt trap diplomacy'; when the US 'threatens to seize control,' it's 'national security.' Follow the Money: The underlying driver is not Panama's 'constitutionality' but US strategic and economic