June 17, 2025
The U.S. State Department has made headlines by revoking the travel visas of former Panamanian President Martín Torrijos and prominent presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana. This action has been interpreted as direct retaliation for the politicians openly criticizing recent agreements made between Panama and the administration of President Trump.
Torrijos, who led Panama from 2004 to 2009, publicly declared at a news conference that he received notification of his visa cancellation. Lombana, a lawyer who placed second in last year's presidential election, also confirmed via an email that his travel permissions would no longer be honored.
“This is not simply about me,” Torrijos stated. “This is a warning to all Panamanians that dissent regarding our government's dealings with the United States will not be tolerated.”
The move comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Panamanian government, primarily over Trump's controversial assertion that he wished to reclaim control of the Panama Canal—a landmark that was originally constructed by the U.S. and returned to Panama during Jimmy Carter's presidency.
Meanwhile, Panama’s current President, José Raúl Mulino, has vowed to safeguard his country’s sovereignty, yet has faced criticism for actions perceived as concessions to the U.S. His administration agreed to accept non-Panamanian migrants deported from the U.S., as well as allow a greater U.S. military presence on three former bases in Panama. Additionally, it was alleged that Mulino agreed to waive transit fees for American warships—a claim that he categorically denied.
This diplomatic friction, highlighted by the visa cancellations, has intensified debates surrounding U.S.-Latin American relations and the implications of political dissent in the region.
The U.S. State Department has made headlines by revoking the travel visas of former Panamanian President Martín Torrijos and prominent presidential candidate Ricardo Lombana. This action has been interpreted as direct retaliation for the politicians openly criticizing recent agreements made between Panama and the administration of President Trump.
Torrijos, who led Panama from 2004 to 2009, publicly declared at a news conference that he received notification of his visa cancellation. Lombana, a lawyer who placed second in last year's presidential election, also confirmed via an email that his travel permissions would no longer be honored.
“This is not simply about me,” Torrijos stated. “This is a warning to all Panamanians that dissent regarding our government's dealings with the United States will not be tolerated.”
The move comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between the Trump administration and the Panamanian government, primarily over Trump's controversial assertion that he wished to reclaim control of the Panama Canal—a landmark that was originally constructed by the U.S. and returned to Panama during Jimmy Carter's presidency.
Meanwhile, Panama’s current President, José Raúl Mulino, has vowed to safeguard his country’s sovereignty, yet has faced criticism for actions perceived as concessions to the U.S. His administration agreed to accept non-Panamanian migrants deported from the U.S., as well as allow a greater U.S. military presence on three former bases in Panama. Additionally, it was alleged that Mulino agreed to waive transit fees for American warships—a claim that he categorically denied.
This diplomatic friction, highlighted by the visa cancellations, has intensified debates surrounding U.S.-Latin American relations and the implications of political dissent in the region.
