Panama. US Invasion. | Under the Shadow, Episode 13

On December 20, 1989, the United States invaded Panama with tens of thousands of troops. It was the largest US invasion since Vietnam. The first US military action since the fall of the Berlin Wall one month before. The testing ground for the Iraq Wars. The US invading forces destroyed 20,000 homes and killed hundreds of innocent Panamanians, dumping bodies into mass graves.<br /><br />And the United States government and the mainstream media ignored or whitewashed the violence. The story told to the American people was that of a tremendous success: The liberation of the people of Panama. All in the name of "democracy" and the so-called "war on drugs."<br /><br />In this episode, host Michael Fox takes us to the working-class Panama City neighborhood of El Chorrillo, which received the brunt of the US attack. He meets with Panamanians who have long fought for justice, and visits a former US military barracks that was the first home of the US School of the Americas. This is Episode 13.<br /><br /><i><a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Under the Shadow</a> </i>is an investigative narrative podcast series that walks back in time, telling the story of the past by visiting momentous places in the present.In each episode, host Michael Fox takes us to a location where something historic happened—a landmark of revolutionary struggle or foreign intervention. Today, it might look like a random street corner, a church, a mall, a monument, or a museum. But every place he takes us was once the site of history-making events that shook countries, impacted lives, and left deep marks on the world.<br /><br />Hosted by Latin America-based journalist <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Michael Fox</a>.<br /><br />This podcast is produced in partnership between <a href="https://therealnews.com/under-the-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">The Real News Network</a> and <a href="https://nacla.org/under-shadow" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NACLA</a>.<br /><br />Guests: <a href="https://www.johnlindsaypoland.com/read-me" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">John Lindsay Poland</a>, <a href="https://centroinvestigacionhumanidades.up.ac.pa/equipoCIFHU" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Olmedo Beluche</a>, <a href="https://x.com/celiasanjurp" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Celia Sanjur</a>, <a href="https://x.com/gilmagcamargo" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Gilma Camargo</a><a href="https://rightsaction.org/who" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Grahame Russell</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pedrito_underdog09/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Pedro Silva</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eguerrero507/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Efrain Guerrero</a>, Omar Gonzalez<br /><br />Edited by <a href="https://x.com/HeatherGies" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Heather Gies</a>.<br />Sound design by <a href="https://twitter.com/coletivocatarse" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Gustavo Türck</a>.<br />Theme music by <a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/0nexDyQCZI89JH8zsYu5wa" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Monte Perdido </a>and Michael Fox. Monte Perdido's new album <i>Ofrenda</i> is now out. You can listen to the full album on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1THq4wHHqkY8yydUMJRmWj" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://www.deezer.com/pt/album/587476202" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Deezer</a>, <a href="https://music.apple.com/za/album/ofrenda/1746696244" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Apple Music</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n1lCcdFJEQczm-VSiraOuUpGcbzLxnRXs" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube</a> or wherever you listen to music.<br />Other music from Blue Dot Sessions.<br /><br />Additional links/info:<br /><ul><li><i><a href="https://www.dukeupress.edu/emperors-in-the-jungle" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Emperors in the Jungle: The Hidden History of the U.S. in Panama</a> </i>(Duke, 2003), is John Lindsay Poland’s expose on the U.S. military involvement in Panama.</li><li>You can watch the documentary, <i>The Panama Deception</i>, <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?467566-1/the-panama-deception" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>.</li><li>Here are several links to <i>Democracy Now!</i> coverage, over the years, looking back at the U.S. invasion of Panama (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS19IGfTDVg" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/4/greg_grandin_george_hw_bushs_1989" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>, and <a href="https://www.democracynow.org/2018/12/4/inter_american_commission_on_human_rights" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">here</a>).</li><li>El Chorrillo Neighborhood Tour: You can find out more about Efrain Guerrero's work trying to protect the memory of El Chorrillo, plus his neighborhood tours, on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/eguerrero507/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@movimiento_identidad" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">TikTok</a>. His organization is called <a href="https://www.instagram.com/movimiento_identidad/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Movimiento Identidad</a>. Here's <a href="https://movimientoidentidad.com/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the website</a> to set up a tour.</li></ul>Support <i>Under the Shadow</i>:<ul><li>You can see pictures of host <a href="https://www.patreon.com/posts/remembering-u-s-111401415" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Michael Fox’s reporting in Panama City, here</a>. </li><li>You can also listen to his new podcast, <i>Panamerican Dispatch</i> on his <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Patreon page</a>. There, you can follow and support him and <i>Under the Shadow</i>: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/mfox" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/mfox</a></li></ul><br /><b></b><br /><b><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Help us continue producing <i>Under the Shadow</i> by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.</a></b><br /><b><br /></b><a href="https://therealnews.com/eos-pod-subscribe" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Sign up for our newsletter</a><br /><a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Like us on Facebook</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Follow us on Twitter</a><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/under-the-shadow--5958129/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Donate to support this podcast</a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.</a><br /><b></b><br /><b>Follow us on:</b><br /><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/therealnews.com" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Bluesky: @therealnews.com</a><b><br /></b><a href="https://facebook.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Facebook: The Real News Network</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Twitter: @TheRealNews</a><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/therealnews" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">YouTube: @therealnews</a><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/therealnewsnetwork/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Instagram: @therealnewsnetwork</a><br /><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b></b></a><br /><b></b><a href="https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"><b>Become a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!</b></a>