"In the field of world policy I would dedicate
this nation to the policy of the good neighbor--the neighbor who resolutely
respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others--the
neighbor who respects his obligations and respects the sanctity of his
agreements in and with a world of neighbors." ~Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1933
The “Good Neighbor”
Policy
The first major change in Panamanian foreign policy came with
Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s new “Good Neighbor” diplomacy in Latin America. In
1936, Roosevelt signed a treaty promising equal opportunity for Panamanians in
the Canal Zone, but failed to uphold it. Although Panama supported the U.S. in World
War II, their postwar request to regain control of the Canal was refused,
further intensifying Panama’s resentment of the U.S.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in Panama, 1936
The Pivotal Crisis
In 1964, during the Johnson Administration, an incident
regarding Panama’s right to fly their flag in the Canal Zone sparked riots
across Panama. Panamanians then demanded that the U.S. give back the Canal and
leave their country. As a result, formal negotiations were held and would
continue over the next thirteen years. Although this diplomacy was a step in
the right direction, it did not solve the core problem that both countries
wanted control of the Panama Canal.
The 1964 Panama riots were highly publicized
During the days of riot twenty-one Panamanians and three Americans died. (This live footage from the riots does not include audio.)
“The
diplomatic contacts which began as a result of the January crisis helped make
1964, which had started so destructively in terms of relations between the U.S.
and Panama, a year of decision—historic in retrospect—to begin negotiations for
a new treaty." ~The Good Neighbors: America, Panama and the 1977 Canal Treaties