Panama Canal Celebrates 105th Anniversary

The celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Panama City on Thursday overshadowed the festivities to mark the inauguration of the Panama Canal 105 years ago, when the Ancon steamship sailed through the interoceanic waterway.

However, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) organized several events, including a family party on Thursday at the Miraflores Visitors' Center, coinciding with the holiday to mark the capital's anniversary, in addition to joining the cultural program of the International Book Fair, which is currently taking place here.

Among the economic achievements of the Panama Canal is its contribution to the National Treasury of 16.769 billion dollars by the end of the 2019 fiscal year, including 1.878 billion dollars paid by the United States to the Panamanian Government for leasing the installation during 86 years of colonial occupation, with the rest as the result of sovereign management since January 2000.

In addition, the third bridge of the Canal was inaugurated in early August at its Atlantic entrance, benefiting residents in the Caribbean province of Colon and facilitating the economic development of that unspoiled region, which has excellent conditions for tourism and agriculture.