It Could Happen Here Panama 1989 to Venezuela 2026: What History Can Teach Us Pt. 2
Feb 4, 2026
A dive into US involvement in Panama from the 1968 coup through the 1989 invasion. Exploration of Omar Torrijos' reforms and Manuel Noriega's ties to US intelligence. Examination of sanctions, nationalist rhetoric, and the invasion’s human cost. A comparison of historical narratives and motives with current events in Venezuela.
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Panama As A U.S. Testing Ground
- The U.S. treated Panama as a testing ground for empire, repeatedly intervening to protect the canal and its interests.
- This created long-term political control and resentment even as Panamanians resisted and demanded autonomy.
Torrijos' Reformist Rule And Treaty Win
- Omar Torrijos, a mestizo officer, overthrew earlier leaders and pushed reformist policies including land reform and treaty negotiation.
- He negotiated the Torrijos-Carter Treaties that promised return of the canal to Panama by 1999.
Noriega: Asset Turned Liability
- Manuel Noriega rose from U.S.-trained military ranks and was simultaneously a CIA asset and involved in drug trafficking.
- U.S. protection persisted until political winds and scandal made him expendable.
