Panama Canal Transition

For 85 years, the Panama Canal was therefore managed and administered by the United States, as had determined the Hay-Bunau Varilla Agreement and later another series of Agreements who were updating on that first agreement (*). However, this effort has not been free conflicts, as the Panamanian society constantly questioned the loss of sovereignty of the Canal.

In 1964 the most serious incidents take (which are settled with 21 dead, many of them students), from a peaceful protest of a Secondary School-the National-Institute who goes into the zone of American sovereignty to use the flag of Panama.

And finally, after a lengthy and intense legal, political and social way, On September 7, 1977 was sign the Torrijos-Carter Agreements that establish in a full refund Panamanian Canal and all its waterfront area (which included 147,000 hectares, several military bases, 13,518 mostly residential installations and the great natural heritage and infrastructure such as airports, schools, hospitals, homes, etc.) heritage. This devolution would be done effective on December 31, 1999.

Panama Canal Treaty (Torrijos-Carter)

It was promoted and signed in Washington DC (USA) on September 7, 1977 between General Omar Torrijos, legendary Head of Government of the Republic of Panama between 1969 and 1981, when he dies of a plane crash has not yet clarified, and Jimmy Carter, Democratic president of the United States between 1977 and 1981.

It means the abrogation of previous treaties and progressive transfer from that date to 1999 Panama Canal, which will assume full responsibility for its administration, operation and maintenance.

The parties also signed up the Treaty Concerning the Permanent Neutrality and Operation of the Canal Panama Canal. This agreement establishes a system of neutrality which ensures that the Canal will stay open, safe, neutral and accessible to ships of all nations, but modified by the United States Senate, also includes a clause that allows in perpetuity military intervention by the United States without having to ask permission to Panama.

On September 30, 1979 was the last day of operation of the Panama Canal Company, pursuant to the Torrijos-Carter Treaty. The following day the Panama Canal Commission began work, a new agency that was created by the Government of the United States to handle the Canal, his works, and auxiliary installations and supply what is needed equipment for maritime traffic.

Since that time to the actual transfer of the canal to Panama a few significant facts most notably the following have taken place:

• In 1991, Guillermo Endara Galimany, President of Panama, set a committee to prepare documents related to the transition process.

• On December 25, 1993 Panama's Legislative Assembly approved the first legislation on Constitutional Title Panama Canal.

• On 25 January 1995 the Commission Transition Transfer Canal and on May 26 of that same year is created, the Legislature approves the second law of the Constitutional Title Panama Canal.

• early 1996 the Panama Canal Commission turns into a government corporation by signing Public Law 104-106 by the President of the United States.

• On 14 May 1997, the Organic Law of the Panama Canal Authority, which is a month later signed by the President of Panama, Ernesto Perez Balladares was approved.

• On December 1997, the Panama Canal Authority was created and its board of directors is appointed.

On the last day of the XX century marks the historic landmark in which the Republic of Panama assumes full responsibility for the administration, management, operation and maintenance of the Canal.

The act of exchange of notes has been signed by the American ex-president and head of the delegation of that country, Jimmy Carter, the then President of the Republic of Panama, Mireya Moscoso, and witnesses: The King of Spain, Juan Carlos I and the Presidents in the same year, Miguel Angel Rodríguez (Costa Rica), Andrés Pastrana (Colombia), Hugo Banzer (Bolivia), Jamil Mahuad (Ecuador), Ernesto Zedillo (Mexico) and Carlos Flores (Honduras).

Joining them they witnessed that historic day thousands of Panamanians who celebrated entirely excited about taking the hill on which the the Administration of the building Canal- the culmination of the long struggles and aspirations for sovereignty of their is located country. The famous singer Rubén Blades put music through a macro-concert accompanying the act.