{"id":2018,"date":"2025-02-09T11:07:41","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T11:07:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cls-uk.org.uk\/?p=2018"},"modified":"2025-02-09T11:55:13","modified_gmt":"2025-02-09T11:55:13","slug":"urgent-response-to-u-s-policy-threats-concerning-the-panama-canal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cls-uk.org.uk\/?p=2018","title":{"rendered":"Urgent Response to U.S. Policy Threats Concerning the Panama Canal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Letter to CARICOM,
\ncc: To Caribbean and Central American Heads of Government<\/em><\/p>\n

Dear Dr. Carla Natalie Barnett,<\/span><\/p>\n

Re: Urgent Response to U.S. Policy Threats Concerning the Panama Canal<\/b><\/p>\n

I write as President of Caribbean Labour Solidarity (CLS), an organization committed to advocating for justice, sovereignty, and solidarity among the peoples of the Caribbean and beyond. This letter is prompted by President Donald Trump\u2019s alarming declaration in his January 20, 2025, inaugural address, in which he vowed to “take back” the Panama Canal.<\/span><\/p>\n

This rhetoric echoes past U.S. interventions and suggests a potential return to policies of coercion and dominance. The Monroe Doctrine and its modern iterations, including Manifest Destiny, have long justified U.S. expansion at the expense of Latin American and Caribbean sovereignty. Historically, such policies have led to military interventions, economic manipulation, and the erosion of self-determination across our region. President Trump\u2019s invocation of Manifest Destiny is particularly troubling, as it signals an imperialist ambition that threatens not only Panama but the entire hemisphere.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Panama Canal was peacefully transferred to Panamanian control on December 31, 1999,\u00a0 <\/span>under the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. Any U.S. attempt to reclaim control would undermine international law, set a dangerous precedent, and erode regional sovereignty. The economic and military dominance of the U.S. has repeatedly destabilized Latin America and the Caribbean, and Trump\u2019s statements suggest a renewed push for expansion that could have dire consequences.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wider Implications: Canada and Greenland<\/b><\/p>\n

It is to be noted that this policy shift not only affects the Central American and Caribbean region but also threatens the stability of the hemisphere. Canada\u2019s sovereignty has been challenged by U.S. economic and security interests, raising concerns about its autonomy in key policy areas. Additionally, Greenland\u2019s ongoing push for independence from Denmark may place it in the crosshairs of U.S. strategic ambitions, given its geographic and resource significance.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Coordinated CARICOM Response<\/b><\/p>\n

Caribbean Labour Solidarity calls upon CARICOM to take immediate action by:<\/span><\/p>\n