In 1903, Panama split from Colombia with secret backing from the United States
The global shipping industry was forever changed in 1903 when Panama declared independence from Colombia, a move strategically orchestrated and protected by the United States to secure the canal zone.
Panama officially broke away from Colombia on November 3, 1903, with the quiet but firm support of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. When the Colombian government rejected a treaty for a trans-isthmian canal, the U.S. backed Panamanian rebels and even sent warships to prevent Colombian troops from landing.
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