Panama Turns 100!

ABSTRACTS:

This article serves as an introduction to this special edition of the South Eastern Latin Americanist. The article provides a brief historical overview of the last 100 years of Panamanian republican history, emphasizing the role of domestic elites and the United States in shaping Panama’s political development. The article concludes by arguing that the new geopolitical situation resulting from the full transfer of sovereignty of the Panama Canal should alter the bilateral relations between the United States and Panama. For the United States, it means constructing a relationship based on respect and the promotion of bilateral rather than unilateral interests. On the one hand, the United States must stop thinking of Panama as a possession, and start thinking of it as an independent sovereign country. On the other hand, Panamanians must develop their own solutions based on compromise, social justice, and democratic decision-making.