Sánchez tells the story of how Panama, though one of the smallest Latin American countries, played the largest symbolic role in America’s ascent to world power status, particularly during the U. S. almost century-long occupation of the Canal Zone from 1903 until December 31, 1999. A narrow isthmus linking North America and South America, Panama’s strategic geographic location and size has attracted the attention of strong nation-states for 500 years. The United States would undoubtedly have become a great power without the Isthmus of Panama, but more than any other country in the hemisphere, Panama has served as a critical outpost for U.S. power and as an instrument for U.S. military and economic might. Sánchez argues that the policies of the United States toward Panama--motivated principally by the goal of preserving its hegemony in Latin America--produced a formidable barrier to developing democratic politics in Panama.

Examining key events and personalities in Panama’s political history from the 1850s to the present, this comprehensive survey analyzes U.S.-Panamanian relations through the 1989 removal of General Manuel Noriega by U.S. armed forces and the final disposition of the Panama Canal Treaties, culminating in the return of all canal-related lands to the Panamanian government. This book is foremost a study of power relationships, demonstrating how domestic political development cannot be understood fully without taking power at the international level into consideration. Combining theory, case study, and policy relevance, this volume makes significant contributions to both comparative politics and international relations theory, showing that domestic and international politics are two sides of one coin.