It Could Happen Here Panama 1989 to Venezuela 2026: What History Can Teach Us feat. Andrew
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Feb 3, 2026 A lively discussion comparing U.S. actions in Venezuela to the 1989 Panama intervention. They trace Panama’s strategic canal importance and U.S. influence from the 19th century onward. The conversation covers brutal canal construction, racial labor systems, military interventions, and how Panama became a testing ground for U.S. imperial tactics.
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2026 Venezuela Operation Echoes Past Interventions
- The U.S. abducted and arraigned Venezuela's President Maduro in 2026, mirroring an unprecedented foreign operation.
- Andrew Sage links this to historical U.S. interventions to frame current events in context.
Canal Geography Drove U.S. Fixation
- Panama's geography and canal shaped intense U.S. strategic interest from the 19th century onward.
- James Stout and Andrew Sage show the canal as central to U.S. interventionism in Panama.
Darien Gap Journey And State Absence
- James Stout describes his personal Darien Gap journey involving planes, trucks, dugout canoes, and long walks.
- He emphasizes the region's remoteness and lack of state presence shaping migration routes.
