Thread: Most influential person in Panama's history?

Who do you think was the most influential person in Panama's history? Why?

Originally Posted by tallman33

Who do you think was the most influential person in Panama's history? Why?

Probably Brig. Gen. Omar Torrijos Herrera. Why? Although he was a military strongman, he was beloved by the people and negotiated/co-signed the Carter/Torrijos Panama Canal treaties which not only yielded the canal to the country of it's site, but finally got Uncle Sam out of it's hair. Thanks to the current president's father, Panama today is truly independent with full sovreignty over all it's land.

I was not aware of who that person was nor what he did. Thanks, I just learned something interesting about the history of Panama.

Although I'll disagree about them having absolute control over all of it, the Canal is still heavily influenced by Americans in my opinion. Probably due to military reasons though, but yeah for the most part they are rather independent.

Originally Posted by JustWow

I was not aware of who that person was nor what he did. Thanks, I just learned something interesting about the history of Panama.

Although I'll disagree about them having absolute control over all of it, the Canal is still heavily influenced by Americans in my opinion. Probably due to military reasons though, but yeah for the most part they are rather independent.

Panama has had absolute control over it's canal and has operated it with a greater degree of efficiency than when it was under U. S. control. And they have done so without any influencial input from Uncle Sam since Dec. 31, 1999. There is a proviso in the Carter/Torrijos Panama Canal treaties that calls for Uncle Sam's military intervention in the event of any foreign agression against the waterway. This is fact, not an opinion.