By Juanulu Gonzalez and Pepe Barroso on January 5, 2025
When Nicaragua again announced its plan to build the alternative inter-oceanic canal to that of Panama, a wave of silent outrage swept through the offices of Washington, Wall Street and the offices of large multinationals. In this project, backed by Chinese investors, the possibility of radically changing the rules of global trade and challenging US hegemony in the region opens up. What many of us already foresaw, and which sadly we have not been slow to see, is the beginning of an unprecedented media and political campaign against the government of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo, who will once again be branded as dictators and murderers in a desperate attempt to stop the project.
In a world where economic and geopolitical power revolves around controlling trade flows, the Panama Canal has remained a vital artery for world trade since its inauguration in 1914. However, its capacity has been outweighed by the current needs of navigation: the gigantic container ships that sail the seas no longer find enough space and draft in the canal. Although it has recently been expanded —by Spanish companies —, it still falls short of the growing demands of modern trade. In this context, the announcement of the Nicaraguan channel appears as an ambitious alternative, which not only seeks to resolve technical limitations, but also to reconfigure global alliances.
America’s predictable response
The United States, which has traditionally considered Latin America its ‘backyard’, something that it continues to reiterate every time it has the opportunity, has not been slow to move. The rhetoric of «democracy » and «human rights » is back on the table, and the corporate press machinery is already paving the way for a propaganda siege against the Nicaraguan government. Ortega and Murillo, who have been demonized for years for challenging neoliberal impositions in the region, will once again become the axis of Central American evil in an attempt to provoke internal revolts that can become a soft coup d’etat type revolution. of color that manages to change the electoral result expressed at the ballot box by the sovereign people.
It is not difficult to foresee how the media attacks will be structured. We will see headlines in the mainstream media that will speak again of ‘authoritarianism ‘, ‘repression‘, and even ‘crimes against humanity’. Reports from humanitarian multinationals such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International will be dictated, amplified, and conveniently aligned with American interests, while making systematic human rights violations committed by their allies in other countries invisible. Nothing new in the sun.
In fact, this tactic has been tested before. Let us remember how Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba have been and are reviled for challenging the neoliberal and unipolar order. What Nicaragua is facing now is not original, but it is especially delicate, since it touches a central nerve in global geopolitics: control of trade routes.
China’s role and fear of multipolarity
China’s participation in the Nicaragua channel project is another cause for alarm for the United States. In a world that is increasingly moving towards a multipolar configuration, where emerging powers like China challenge Western hegemony, trade route control becomes a tool of strategic power. The future Nicaraguan channel, financed and probably managed in part by Chinese capital, represents a direct threat to Washington’s dominance.
China not only seeks to facilitate its trade with Latin America and the rest of the world; It also seeks to demonstrate that there are alternatives to the dependency model imposed by the United States. A new interoceanic channel controlled by actors other than the usual ones supposes a rupture in the monopoly that Washington and its allies have exercised for decades.
Trump and the threat to the Panama Canal
Meanwhile, Donald Trump, waiting for his next inauguration, has not missed the opportunity to make his position clear. According to recent statements, the former president has suggested that the United States should «regain » control of the Panama Canal if the Panamanian government does not meet its demands. These threats are not just bragging. Trump, known for his aggressive and unilateral approach, could be laying the groundwork for future coercive actions in the region.
This raises a paradoxical situation: while the United States criticizes Nicaragua for alleged «violations of sovereignty », it does not hesitate to openly threaten Panama if this country does not bow to its interests. One more demonstration of the hypocrisy inherent in the American discourse on democracy and human rights.
The impact on Nicaragua and its sovereignty
For Nicaragua, this project is not only an economic issue, but also an exercise in sovereignty. The construction of the canal represents an opportunity to diversify its economy, attract foreign investment and position itself as a key actor in global trade. However, it also exposes the country to greater external pressure.
Harassment will not be limited to words. We are likely to see an increase in economic sanctions, the financing of opposition movements, and possible attempts at internal destabilization. These strategies, sadly common in the region, have a huge cost for countries that dare to challenge the status quo.
The role of alternative media and popular resistance
In this context, alternative media and popular resistance play a fundamental role. It is crucial that the other version of the story be told, that the intrahistory hidden behind the facts be aired, that the lies of the corporate press be denounced and that the right of peoples to decide their own destiny be supported. The attacks against Nicaragua are not only an attack against Ortega and Murillo, but against the sovereignty of the entire Nicaraguan people.
Likewise, international solidarity must play a key role. If we have learned anything from the struggles of other countries in the region, it is that unity and resistance are powerful tools against imperialism. The Nicaraguan canal is much more than a vital infrastructure project for the well-being of the people of Sandino; it is a symbol of hope and of the possibility of building a fairer and more balanced world.
In short, the announcement of the Nicaraguan channel marks the beginning of a new stage in the fight for sovereignty and self-determination in Latin America. Although the challenges will be enormous, so are the opportunities. Faced with the attacks that will surely come, it is crucial to remain firm and remember that the true enemies of democracy are not those who challenge the empire, but those who try to impose their dominance under the guise of freedom and human rights. Nicaragua is not alone in this fight, its courage is an example for the entire world.
Source: bitsrojiverdes.org translation Internationalist 360