Report to Congress on U.S.-Panama Relations

The following is the June 16, 2026, Congressional Research Service report U.S.-Panama Relations: Overview and Issues for Congress. From the Report The United States and Panama generally have maintained close relations since Panama’s independence in 1903. Close bilateral ties are largely rooted in the extensive linkages developed between the two countries when the United States controlled the Panama Canal and Panama hosted several U.S. military installations. The United States constructed and operated the Panama Canal for much of the 20th century before transferring its control to Panama, pursuant to two treaties signed in 1977. The two treaties in part sought