Neutrality or strategic leverage for Panama Canal?

As global maritime trade braces for intensifying geopolitical competition, the future of the Panama Canal’s neutrality has emerged as a critical question.

The recent announcement that two ports near the Canal may be sold to a consortium led by MSC has sparked concerns at the highest levels in Panama.

The Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vásquez has openly warned that such a move could undermine the foundational principle of neutrality that has governed the Canal since the Torrijos–Carter Treaties took effect in 1999.