Sometimes, important formative aspects are underestimated due to imperialism, but it is crucial to have a consciousness of national affirmation, anti-imperialism, and decolonization. This implies the need for a new political project that unites the living, democratic popular forces of the country. Panamanian history has significant examples of the struggle for sovereignty, such as the diplomatic battle led by General Torrijos to achieve autonomy.
In the midst of the crisis of U.S. hegemony and the rise of Trumpism, it is essential to understand and capture the movements of dominant imperialist politics. The traditional political elite often resorts to false unity and abstract nationalism for their own interests, far from the needs and aspirations of the people. However, the future of Panama cannot be based on this elite, but on the appropriation of the popular past and the construction of a democratic future.
The struggle for self-determination and resistance against imperial pretensions, such as the De Concini amendment proposed by Donald Trump, are crucial for Panama. The history of popular, anti-imperialist, and decolonial struggle cannot be forgotten, as it lays the foundation for the full sovereignty of the country. Decolonization in all aspects, from the political to the epistemological, is a pending task that demands attention.
From independence from Spain in 1821 to the recovery of the Canal Zone in 1999, Panama has fought various battles for its sovereignty. It is essential to establish a new political project that is anti-imperialist, decolonial, and capable of guaranteeing the social and environmental well-being of the majority of the population. Continuous political education is key to articulating pending tasks and building a new historical bloc that represents the true Panamanian nation, independent and sovereign.
