Remon-Eisenhower Treaty
Encyclopedia
The Remon-Eisenhower Treaty, was a 1955 treaty between the United States
and Panama
that updated and amended the original Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903 for the Suez Canal
and Panama Canal Zone
. Other aspects of the treaty covered local trader / worker rights, upgrades and military base usage.
, a former police commander in chief, won the presidential election in Panama. To further get the approval of the town of Panama City
, Remon followed a famous saying in Spanish
, "Ni millones ni limosnas, queremos justicia." ("Not millions nor alms, we want justice".) The treaty that followed is characterisized by the hardness and unwillingness to negotiate of the Panamanians. It was extremely tough for the Panamanian government to negotiate this treaty, as Remon said, "for justice". He possibly said this because Panamanian sovereignty
has been at stake with the United States until 2000, when the Panama Canal
was given back. The 'tricky' negotiations have affected Panama greatly.
. This brings back the treaties in 1942, when Panama actually granted the United States around 130 bases throughout the country, for World War II
. These bases were to be given back to Panama, but the USA tried extending that in the Convent of 1947. The USA failed. A couple of days later, they were given back to Panama. The negotiations ended on the 25 January 1955.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
that updated and amended the original Hay–Bunau-Varilla Treaty of 1903 for the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and Panama Canal Zone
Panama Canal Zone
The Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. Other aspects of the treaty covered local trader / worker rights, upgrades and military base usage.
Background
In 1952, José Antonio Remón CanteraJosé Antonio Remón Cantera
José Antonio Remón Cantera , was president of Panama from 1 October 1952 until his murder by machine-gun fire at a Panama City racetrack - on 2 January 1955. He belonged to the National Patriotic Coalition....
, a former police commander in chief, won the presidential election in Panama. To further get the approval of the town of Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, Remon followed a famous saying in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "Ni millones ni limosnas, queremos justicia." ("Not millions nor alms, we want justice".) The treaty that followed is characterisized by the hardness and unwillingness to negotiate of the Panamanians. It was extremely tough for the Panamanian government to negotiate this treaty, as Remon said, "for justice". He possibly said this because Panamanian sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
has been at stake with the United States until 2000, when the Panama Canal
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
was given back. The 'tricky' negotiations have affected Panama greatly.
Negotiations
The negotiations began in September 1953. Amazingly, they partially ended in December 1954 — partially, because in December, one point of the treaty was missing. Panama was to grant the United States its military base in Rio HatoRío Hato
Río Hato is a town in the Coclé province of Panama.- Sources :* – World-Gazetteer.com...
. This brings back the treaties in 1942, when Panama actually granted the United States around 130 bases throughout the country, for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. These bases were to be given back to Panama, but the USA tried extending that in the Convent of 1947. The USA failed. A couple of days later, they were given back to Panama. The negotiations ended on the 25 January 1955.
Jose Antonio Remon Cantera
President Remon actually got shot and died on 2 January 1955. Nevertheless, the treaty was given his name (Remon-Eisenhower) due to the large efforts and never-ending fights against the U.S. for this treaty. The story of his death is unknown, and the person that shot him was caught, but was found only to be the killer, he had personal reasons. A further theory says he got shot because of not allowing the United States the Rio Hato base, which was granted after he died, in the treaty. Nevertheless, there is no actual evidence of this.Treaty summary
In summary, the treaty contains the following:- The treaty raised the annual payment of the canal (from US-Panama) from $430,000, to $1.93 million. As a consequence, Panama agreed to lower, by 75%, the tax on national liquors sold in the Panama Canal ZonePanama Canal ZoneThe Panama Canal Zone was a unorganized U.S. territory located within the Republic of Panama, consisting of the Panama Canal and an area generally extending 5 miles on each side of the centerline, but excluding Panama City and Colón, which otherwise would have been partly within the limits of...
. - Panama was granted the right to charge taxes to Panamanians working in the canal and railroads operating inside the Zone or out of it.
- The United States gave back Panamanian jurisdiction of the lands in "Punta Paitilla". It also gave back the lands of "Nuevo Cristobal", "Playa de Colon", and the Lesseps area. Panama, as a consequence, had multi-tasks to "beautify" the U.S. embassy in Panama. These tasks included the construction of a park in front of the embassy, and the fixing of two properties next to the embassy.
- The construction of a bridge over the canal, by the USA.
- The permitting of local traders to sell to ships crossing the canal.
- The equality of local workers and Americans in the Canal. (Finally, the elimination of the Gold/Silver roll.)
- The United States was to avoid contraband in the canal.
- One point which Remon did not approve, and which the U.S. had been requesting since 1947. This point was finally conceded after Remon's death. The United States was granted, with no cost or 'trick', the military base and beach in Rio Hato, for a period of 15 years. The base was given back on 22 August 1970, after the government of General TorrijosOmar TorrijosOmar Efraín Torrijos Herrera was the Commander of the Panamanian and National Guard and the de facto leader of Panama from 1968 to 1981...
refused to renew US use.
Source
- Fitgerald, Luis I.; Historia de las Relaciones entre Panama y los Estados Unidos. (In Spanish.)
- Mellander, Gustavo A.; Nelly Maldonado Mellander (1999). Charles Edward Magoon: The Panama Years. Río Piedras, Puerto Rico: Editorial Plaza Mayor. ISBN 1-56328-155-4. OCLC 42970390.
- Mellander, Gustavo A. (1971). The United States in Panamanian Politics: The Intriguing Formative Years. Danville, Ill.: Interstate Publishers. OCLC 138568.