Panama celebrated a significant milestone on Tuesday, marking 25 years since the historic handover of the Panama Canal from the United States. For nearly a century, the canal had been under U.S. control, serving as a vital artery for international maritime trade since its inauguration in 1914.
The transition of control on December 31, 1999, was the culmination of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, signed on September 7, 1977, by Panama’s General Omar Torrijos and U.S. President Jimmy Carter. These treaties ended 85 years of what was known as the Panama Canal Zone, restoring sovereignty over the canal to Panama.
“These 25 years of Panamanian administration have worked on a common goal: to fulfill the national commitment to a safe and continuous operation for the world,” said Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino during the commemorative ceremony held at the Panama Canal Administration Building. “This canal has to be and has to continue to be the canal of our Panamanians, for Panamanians, at the world’s service but above all for Panamanians mainly.”
The event was significant not only for its historical reflection but also for highlighting the achievements made under Panamanian management. Panama Canal Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez Morales underscored the canal’s expansion and the construction of the Third Set of Locks, which began operating in 2016, as milestones that have enhanced the canal’s capacity and global significance.
During the ceremony, Miguel Guerra, the first Panamanian hired by the Panama Canal following the handover in 1999, was honored with Panama’s Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa. His recognition symbolizes the opportunities and national pride that the canal’s administration has brought to Panamanians over the past quarter-century.
On December 31, 1999, the Panama Canal Administration Building was the site of the official transfer of the interoceanic waterway from the United States to the Panamanian government, then led by President Mireya Mosco. The handover marked a new chapter in Panama’s history, empowering the nation to control one of the world’s most strategic maritime passages.
The 25th-anniversary celebrations serve as a reminder of Panama’s commitment to maintaining the canal as a safe, efficient, and globally significant waterway, while also emphasizing its importance to the Panamanian people and their national identity.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
