The Panama Canal, involved in a tug of war with an imperialist Trump who claims America built it and dislikes China’s growing influence in the area, is an artificial 82-kilometer (51-mile) waterway which connects the Caribbean Sea with the Pacific Ocean. It provides a shortcut which greatly reduces the time for ships to travel between the Atlantic and Pacific and avoiding avoid the hazardous route around the southernmost tip of South America. Its construction was one of the largest and most difficult engineering projects ever undertaken. Started by the French in 1881, they gave up and the US took over in 1904, eventually opening it in 1914.
Panama under pressure has decided to let its participation in China’s global infrastructure plan expire.
The 15 August 1914 Panama Canal Inauguration with its expansive Leo Sun opposition Jupiter sitting alongside a bulldozer-strength Mars Venus square Pluto Saturn, perhaps a testament to the difficulty in building it, will be panicked and undermined as tr Neptune Saturn square the Saturn and then Pluto and oppose the Mars through 2025/26; with further arguments after that.
The final handover to Panama on 31 December 1999 is equally stressed through late April into May this year, is mired in confusion and indecision in 2026/27 and at a dead halt by 2027.
The Panama country chart, 3 November 1903 6pm, Panama, will be under great pressure with tr Pluto conjunct its Saturn in Aquarius in 2026/27 with a significant disappointment in 18 months – but that could be to do with anything, However its relationship with Trump will be on edge as tr Uranus moves into Gemini from July onwards for several years.
Wikipedia has good summary articles on the Panama Canal, which are worth reading. The one on the history of the canal ends with: “Panama Canal Repurchase Act – On 9 January 2025, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Rep. Dusty Johnson to authorize the United States Government to acquire the Panama canal zone on behalf of the U.S. As of the date of introduction, the bill had 16 co-sponsors and had been referred to the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs for review…”
There are many books and articles on the subject. The Panama Canal is incredibly important, but geographically/physically it is in deep trouble due to climate change and needs a major upgrade. Never mind geopolitics, China’s Belt and Road reach into world trade, and the risk of earthquakes (it’s on the ring of fire, after all). Without the canal entire economies can go into the toilet. It is no suprise an autocrat like Trump wants direct control of it (Jimmy Carter transferred it to Panama in September 1977). I suspect Trump will do anything (anything) to get it. Same situation with the Suez in Africa and the straits in Indonesia/Singapore. World shipping can’t do without them and all those trade dollars (in whatever currencies) depend on shipping. The straits, natural and man-made are not hot spots for nothing. Just wait……
@SweetGrapes
Good summary, the Panama canal has a rather steamy history behind it, maybe it is karma of sorts.
Thank you very much, Marjorie, for the post.
I was looking at where Neptune was in the outer wheel of your biwheels as j thought I read that the canal has big problems with water. The friendly AI tells me it relies on rainwater which can lead to water droughts and impacts gatun lake.
There’s a terrible drought in the region, lessening water flows in the canal and causing great delays to the transit of traffic through the canal. It’s a major mess — and I’m sure Trump’s interference is only making matters worse.