"We have never been, we are not, nor will we ever be, an associate state, colony or protectorate, nor will we add another star to the flag of the United States," said the late Panamanian leader General Omar Torrijos.
"The United States has vetoed Panama's resolution, but the world has vetoed the United States," said then Panamanian Foreign Minister Juan Antonio Tack.
PANAMA CITY, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- Panama's decades-long struggle to reclaim sovereignty over the Panama Canal reached a boiling point in the 1960s. Escalating protests and international diplomacy ultimately reshaped the country's relationship with the United States.
Inspired by Egypt's 1956 nationalization of the Suez Canal, Panamanians intensified calls to revise the Panama Canal Treaty.
On Jan. 9, 1964, the "Flag Protests" escalated into violent clashes after U.S. residents in the Panama Canal Zone tore a Panamanian flag, recalled Federico Alvarado, now 78, who was among the protesters. Over four days, U.S. forces opened fire on demonstrators, leaving more than 20 dead and several hundred others seriously injured.
The violence prompted Panama to appeal to international bodies. In 1973, the United Nations Security Council held a rare session in Panama City, with the late Panamanian leader General Omar Torrijos delivering a blistering speech condemning U.S. colonialism.
"We have never been, we are not, nor will we ever be, an associate state, colony or protectorate, nor will we add another star to the flag of the United States," Torrijos declared.
A draft resolution supporting Panamanian sovereignty won the backing of 13 out of 15 Security Council members, with Britain abstaining. However, the United States exercised its veto power, blocking the resolution despite its broad support.
"The United States has vetoed Panama's resolution, but the world has vetoed the United States," said then Panamanian Foreign Minister Juan Antonio Tack.
The veto galvanized international sympathy for Panama's cause. The world finally understood Panama's struggle, said Julio Yao, former foreign policy advisor and honorary president of the Center for Asian Strategic Studies of Panama.
In September 1977, the Torrijos-Carter Treaties were signed by Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, establishing that the Panama Canal would be turned over to Panamanian control on Dec. 31, 1999.■
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