Panama

The Republic of Panama (Spanish: República de Panamá, IPA ), commonly known as Panama, is the southernmost country of Central America. more...

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A transcontinental country, its isthmus constitutes the southernmost part of a natural land bridge between the continents of North America and South America. It borders Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south.

Origin of the name Panama There are various stories about the etymology of the name Panama Some say that the name comes from an unspecified indigenous language from words meaning variously an abundance of fish or an abundance of butterfliesAnother humorous tale states that the name comes from the indigenous kuna word bannaba meaning farther that way which is what the Kunas told explorers looking for gold.

History

Much of Panama's domestic politics and international diplomacy in the 20th century was tied to the Panama Canal and the foreign policy of the United States. At the turn of the 20th century, Theodore Roosevelt pursued United States diplomatic efforts to facilitate a deal with Colombia that would allow it to take over French canal operations started by Ferdinand de Lesseps. In November 1903, a small number of wealthy Panamanian landowners led by a covert Separatist Junta presided by Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, were engaged to secede from Colombia by the United States.

On November 3, 1903, Panama declared its independence from Colombia. The President of the Municipal Council, Demetrio H. Brid, highest authority at the time, became its de facto President, appointing on November 4 a Provisional Government to run the affairs of the new republic. The United States, as the first country to recognize the new Republic of Panama, sent troops to protect its economic interests. The 1904 Constituent Assembly elected Dr. Manuel Amador Guerrero, a prominent member of the Conservative political party, as the first constitutional President of the Republic of Panama.kk

In December 1903 representatives of the republic signed the Hay-Bunau Varilla Treaty which granted rights to the United States to build and administer indefinitely the Panama Canal, which was opened in 1914. This treaty became a contentious diplomatic issue between the two countries, reaching a boiling point on January 9, 1964: Martyr's Day. These issues were resolved with the signing of the Torrijos-Carter Treaties in 1977.

The original intent of the founding fathers was to bring harmony between the two major political parties (Conservatives and Liberals). The Panamanian government went through periods of political instability and corruption, however, and at various times in its history, the mandate of an elected president terminated prematurely. In 1968, a Coup toppled the government of the recently elected Arnulfo Arias Madrid. Gen. Omar Torrijos eventually became the leading power in the governing military junta, and later became an autocratic strong man until his death in an apparent airplane accident in 1981. After Torrijos's death, power was eventually concentrated in the hands of Gen. Manuel Noriega, a former head of Panama's secret police. Noriega was implicated in drug trafficking by the United States, resulting in difficult relations by the end of the 1980’s.

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