Barbados, 24 August 2025.- The Panamanian government announced a massive investment of $20 billion in 2026, mainly for the development of the Panama Canal. Present in Barbados, Chancellor Javier Martinez Acha Vasquez stressed that the country wants to become a global business centre and the strategic gateway to Latin America for the Caribbean, in a context marked by an increased struggle for control and leadership of the canal.
At a diplomatic luncheon in Barbados, Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martinez Acha Vasquez outlined an ambitious recovery plan: $20 billion will be invested next year in projects focusing on the Panama Canal, a vital artery in global maritime trade.
Selon le chancelier, ce programme marque « l’entrée du Panama dans une nouvelle ère de développement « , avec l’objectif affirmé de transformer le pays en un hub financier et logistique international.
But behind this momentum of investment is growing geopolitical rivalry: the channel, through which about 6% of world trade flows, remains a major challenge between major powers. China, already present in some strategic ports in the region, is trying to expand its influence, while the United States considers the canal a central element of its security and international trade.
Ces tensions ne sont pas nouvelles. Le président américain Donald Trump exprime son intention de renforcer l’emprise de Washington sur les infrastructures stratégiques du canal, au point que certains de ses opposants l’accuse d’être « obsédé par l’idée d’y apposer son nom « .
For Panama, these investments therefore aim to modernize its infrastructure as much as to assert its sovereignty over a maritime route that remains at the heart of a global arm of railway.
W.A.
