The recent
decision of the government of Panama regarding relations
with its neighbors in the region raises the question:
What direction is Panama, headed by businessman Ricardo
Martinelli, taking and why?
Before Belize, Panama was the last country to become a
republic in the Central American isthmus, after
separating from Colombia in 1903, with the 'assistance'
of the emerging imperialism of the United States. Even
back then, the Empire had designs on tightening its
strategic control over the canal that links the Pacific
and the Atlantic Oceans.
Since then,
Panama's sovereignty has been pure fiction... at least
until the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Agreements in
1977. The accords went into effect in December 2000,
when the U.S. occupying forces had to abandon all their
military bases in the Panama Canal. Only then did Panama
join the group of free nations and was included in
regional integration mechanisms with its Central
American sisters and brothers.
This
direction, however, has started to change. Once again,
the homeland of Omar Torrijos is being handed over to
the U.S. Empire.
The Pentagon has set up military bases in that Central
American nation, no longer with the pretext of
protecting the inter-oceanic passage, but - according to
the claims of Washington - to fight against 'terrorism'
and 'drug trafficking.'
Everyone
knows that terrorism isn't a problem in Latin America,
and that the entire drug trafficking problem is fueled
in the United States, which has the largest market for
drugs in the world. But the government in Washington
insists on playing the Nut Role. This can only mean that
the Empire is looking for something else: to maintain
its dominance in the region.
Like in Soto Cano, Honduras; in Comalapa, El Salvador;
in at least seven different military bases of Colombia;
in Chaco, Paraguay; on the islands of Aruba and Curacao;
in the illegally occupied naval base of Guantánamo; and
at four bases in Panama - the United States spies,
controls and intervenes to conspire against the great
homeland of Our America.
But Martinelli's government does not stop with merely
handing over the sovereignty of Panama. With the
enthusiasm worthy of better causes, Panama has joined
the project of the U.S. extreme right-wing against the
legitimate Honduran government, overthrown by a fascist
military coup on June 28th.
The
Panamanian government even appointed Roberto Jované as
Special Ambassador to watch, or better said, to
legitimize the elections of Nov 29th, which have been
rejected by the rest of the region for being organized
by an illegal regime to give itself a legal facade.
Martinelli
is not worried about that. He only wants to please the
United States and has clearly stated his support for
Micheletti, announcing that he will recognize the winner
of the illegal elections in Honduras.
Panama is
also moving toward its withdrawal from the Central
American Parliament. With this action, Panama will
further distance itself from the regional integration
process.
While it is
true that the Central American Parliament, from its
beginning, has had serious deficiencies that must be
corrected to make it more functional and effective,
there seems to be no reason to dismantle it. This would
be like going back to the middle of the last century,
when governments were overthrown by the Pentagon and the
local U.S. Embassy personnel, throwing Central America
into the dictionary as so-called "Banana Republics."
Yet we
continue to ask ourselves: Which direction is Panama
taking? If the recent moves taken by Ricardo Martinelli
don't help us to arrive at an answer, perhaps looking
back about 20 years will be of some assistance.
Next month,
on December 20th, we'll commemorate the 20th anniversary
of the U.S. invasion of Panama. With the flimsy excuse
of going after Manuel Noriega, accusing him of
corruption and drug-running, Washington killed thousands
-- the exact figure is still unknown -- and militarily
occupied the small Central American country.
And, going
back a bit further, we have the shining example of
students from the Balboa High School in Panama City, who
in 1964 risked their lives to raise the Panamanian flag
in the U.S.-controlled canal area.
Today, in
quite simple terms, Panama is being handed over to the
extreme right in Washington, subjecting itself to the
implacable judgement of history. Undoubtedly, history
will strongly condemn these actions.
