In a tense geopolitical context, the Panamanian government authorizes the deployment of American soldiers near the canal, while excluding any permanent installation.
Panama has concluded an agreement allowing the United States to temporarily deploy troops on its territory, in particular for humanitarian training and missions. This partnership, lasting three years renewable, specifies that the infrastructure will remain under Panamanian sovereignty and will be used jointly. Although Washington spoke of the idea of restoring military bases, this possibility was firmly rejected by local authorities.
This decision comes in a climate of geostrategic tensions, while the United States seeks to strengthen its influence in Latin America, especially against China. The Panama Canal, a crucial maritime route for world trade, represents a major issue. The American administration has multiplied the pressures to limit the Chinese presence in the region, going so far as to threaten to “resume” the canal, sold to Panama in 1999.
The question remains sensitive in the country, where the memory of the American occupation and the 1989 military intervention against the dictator Manuel Noriega is still lively. The Panamanian president, Jose Raul Mulino, had to reassure public opinion by affirming that the canal would remain under national control. The recent demonstrations bear witness to persistent distrust of Washington.
At the same time, the United States has obtained a partial withdrawal of Chinese interests in the management of channel ports, thanks to a controversial agreement involving the American fund BlackRock. Beijing, irritated by this maneuver, announced the opening of an unfair competition investigation. This episode illustrates the intensification of the Sino-American rivalry in the region, where each strategic advance is scrutinized carefully.
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