Torrijismo During An Age of Social Reaction In Latin America

The Era of Reaction in Latin America is often described to take place after the Cuban Revolution of 1959, when Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, and the guerilla fighters of the Sierra Maestra defeated the dictator Fulgencio Batista. The result of the Cuban Revolution would usher a route to Marxism, communism, and social policy from the Soviet Bloc. Importantly, Latin America would become a new theater in the Cold War, as the U.S. was formally becoming criticized for its imperialistic pursuits of the 19^th and 20^th centuries. As foreign ideologies spread through Latin America, social revolutions, and reactions to social and political issues began to flourish. Citizens and politicians of Latin American nations furthered the challenge to U.S. hegemony over the region and the social revolution carried on. 

The tale of Panama during the Era of Reaction is particularly interesting. When compared to social revolutions of other nations, many are considered struggles against dictatorships and U.S. prevalence. For Panama, many social changes and challenges to the U.S. would occur under the rule of Omar Torrijos Herrera.  

The result of the 1968 Panamanian national election would result in the presidency of Arnulfo Arias. Arias immediately began to consolidate power and one of his defining actions was to purge the Panamanian National Guard, Panama’s highest form of a standing military. Soon, many guardsmen led by Torrijos would lead a coup of the Panamanian presidency, ousting Arias after 11 days as commanding president. The guardsmen then established a military dictatorship headed by Chief of Government and Supreme Leader of Panama, Omar Torrijos, who was often accompanied by a small circle of Panamanian elites. 

The Torrijos dictatorship would last 13 years (1968-1981) but was described to “maintain a base of popular support” regardless of the absence of formal presidential elections. Torrijos had not been a formally declared Marxist, like other Latin American figures, however, much of his social and economic policies would mirror that of the ideologies of Social Marxists. Under the Torrijos regime, Panama would experience a decade and presidency that focused on raising the standard of living of the poor populace. Torrijos and his Democratic Revolutionary Party would provide initiatives such as the addition of social security and intrinsic labor laws aimed to protect the Panamanian working class. Likewise, the establishment of a “web of government-owned business” and social initiatives that rarely effected Panama’s private sector was favorable to citizens of various social classes. 

Along with Torrijos’ favorable social initiatives, the dictator was able to implement major negotiations with the U.S. over their ownership of the Panama Canal and the Canal Zone, the marketed and closed areas around the canal. The canal itself had been a major source of deflation for Panamanian pride. Likewise, the U.S. controlled canal and canal practices had been an important symbol of U.S. hegemony and domination over Panama and Central America. Torrijos would be praised for his mediation tactics and results as on September 7^th, 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed. Two treaties, one described the means of neutrality of the canal, stating the U.S. could intervene in defense for the neutrality of the canal’s use for all nations. The second treaty established the transfer of the Panama Canal back to Panama and declared that as of December 31^st, 1999, the ownership of the Panama Canal its operations would completely transfer to Panama.

The Treaties formally established the end beginning of the end of direct U.S. intervention in Panama, however, U.S. hegemonic control over Latin America continues to this day. The dictatorship of Torrijos ended in 1981 with his mysterious death in a plane crash. Much of Torrijos’ presidency is subject to major criticism, but many agree that the engagement of social interaction, despite the means of political control, is aligned to the Era of Reaction in Latin America and the precedent set by the inclusion of Marxist ideology. 

https://www.history.com/speeches/carter-signs-the-panama-canal-treaty (This link is a short audio from History.com of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter as he addresses the agreements in the Torrijos-Carter Treaties. September 7th, 1977)

Works Cited:

Kinzer, Stephen. “Torrijos’s Legacy Lingers In Panama.” The New York Time’s, August 2, 1987, Special To The New York Times edition. https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/02/world/torrijos-s-legacy-lingers-in-panama.html.

SPECIAL NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATE: Panama and the Canal Treaty Negotiations (Supersedes SNIE 84–70), Washington: Central Intelligence Agency. February 18th, 1971. Accessed on May 1st, 2020. https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1969-76ve10/d545

Intelligence Memorandum, Panama and Cuba: Prospects for Closer Relationships, Central Intelligence Agency. January 19th, 1972. Approved for release on March 6th, 2007. Accessed on May 1st, 2020. https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP79R00967A001500020007-7.pdf

“Carter Signs the Panama Canal Treaty.” History.com. A&E Television Networks. Accessed May 1, 2020. https://www.history.com/speeches/carter-signs-the-panama-canal-treaty.

By Peyton O’Laughlin