From a contemporary control room situated high above the canal expansion – providing a view of the Cocolí locks, lakes, rainforest canopy, and ultimately, the Atlantic Ocean – it seems almost surreal that the era of gunboat diplomacy is resurfacing at the Panama Canal. Yet, just four days into Donald Trump’s second term, this is the reality. Trump has announced his intention to “take back” the Panama Canal, prompting media crews from Washington to Beijing to rush here to cover a crisis that has sparked intense diplomatic activity and raised concerns about a potential repeat of the 1989 US military invasion.
Despite Trump’s claims of overwhelming Chinese influence in the region, there is no evidence to support this, and the canal’s administrators refute his allegations of overcharging US vessels. Panama appears to have the facts on its side, but the question remains whether that will hold any weight in the current climate.
“What I say is: come and see it,” stated Ilya Espino de Marotta, the deputy administrator of the Panama Canal, when asked about Trump’s comments from the control tower. “It’s pretty obvious when you come to the canal. We’re a very transparent entity.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio may visit the canal this week during his first international tour, which includes stops in Latin America. According to Espino de Marotta, discussions are already underway for a meeting with the canal’s leadership. “I understand he’s going to meet with the administrator of the canal, so hopefully this would be a good place to meet,” she shared, adding that she couldn’t comment on Rubio’s official itinerary. Regarding the potential visit, she expressed hope that it would happen.
Rubio’s possible trip to the canal zone, part of a week-long tour through Central America that will also cover Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and the Dominican Republic, has not been previously reported. The state department has been approached for comments.
“The canal is run by Panamanians 100%. We are an autonomous entity,” emphasized Espino de Marotta, who began her career at the canal in the shipyard in 1985, during the time it was still under US control, and has since led its significant expansion. “There is no Chinese management of the canal.”
Conversations with current and former officials in Panama, along with analysts, activists, and rights organizations, reveal that this nation of 4.5 million at the southern tip of Central America is anxiously trying to discern Trump’s intentions and how far he might go to achieve them. He has indicated that he would not dismiss the use of military force to reclaim the canal – or even annex Greenland. The Financial Times reported on Friday that he had a “fiery” phone call with the Danish prime minister regarding US claims on Greenland, which, according to five European sources, did not go well. Denmark is now reportedly in “crisis mode.”
In Panama, a country with a dollarized economy and a recent history of American imperialism, the atmosphere is charged with uncertainty. While few anticipate a military intervention, the situation remains precarious.
