Panama Plays Geopolitics: China’s Canal Access or US Control?
📰 THE STORY: A Panamanian high court has reportedly invalidated the concession agreement for Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to operate ports at both ends of the Panama Canal, citing unconstitutionality. This move threatens to remove the Chinese-affiliated conglomerate from its strategic control over ports crucial to global shipping. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This isn't
Panama acting autonomously, but rather the latest iteration of external powers dictating its destiny. The US engineered Panama's independence from Colombia in 1903 to build and control the canal, effectively treating the country as a protectorate for decades. The 1989 US invasion to overthrow Manuel Noriega, costing thousands of lives, was rooted in maintaining this control and punishing any
perceived deviation from US interests. For the US, control over the canal has always been a non-negotiable strategic imperative. Double Standard: When Western companies (or US-aligned puppets) control vital global infrastructure, it's 'free trade' and 'economic development.' When a Chinese-affiliated company operates similar infrastructure, it's immediately framed as a 'national security threat'
or 'geopolitical penetration.' The same Financial Times that reports on China's 'growing influence' in Latin America glosses over the centuries of US military and economic dominance that laid the groundwork for such anxieties. Follow the Money: Beyond direct port revenues, the true beneficiaries are the US military-industrial complex and associated corporate interests that rely on unhindered cargo