The Panama Canal and the Torrijos-Carter Treaties
This article is a summary of reporting by Office of the Historian. Originally published June 29, 2026.
During the mid-20th century, growing Panamanian anti-colonial sentiment and civil unrest over American control of the Canal Zone led to bilateral negotiations. In September 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos signed treaties providing for the abolition of the Canal Zone and the phased transfer of the canal. The diplomatic milestone guaranteed permanent neutrality for the canal and scheduled the full handover of operations to Panama by December 31, 1999.
AI Summary
An official diplomatic history of the treaties that settled U.S.–Panama tensions and arranged the 1999 handover.
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