Congress of Panama
The Panama Congress was held from 22 June to 15 July 1826 in Panama City instead.
In it, Simón Bolívar pursued as organizer of this Pan-American Congress, the idea of a transnational Hispanic Confederacy. Thus, the territorial integrity of the young Latin American countries should be backed up, which would also house the British participation as a protecting power. Reason for convening the Panama Congress was the fear of a re-conquest of Latin America by Spain with the support of the Holy Alliance.
Expiration
Among the participants of the congress included representatives of Greater Colombia, Peru, the Central American confederation and Mexico. Not Invited was both the Paraguayan dictator Rodríguez de Francia and Haiti. The Bolivian and U.S. representatives were broken up too late and the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata, Chile and Brazil failed for various reasons their participation. Britain and the Netherlands were present as observers.
The congress was preceded by a dispute between the organizers of Bolívar and Santander, in which it came to his extension. While Bolívar the Pan American Congress wanted only limited to Spanish America without the liberated Río de la Plata, Santander invited alongside Argentina, also the United States of America and Brazil.
Properties of the sought States Federal
The proposed merger of Bolívar at the Conference of Latin America should have the following characteristics:
- It should emerge from Spain's former colonies Congreso Panamericano. The U.S., Río de la Plata, Brazil and Haiti should not be allowed to enter.
- A joint army of at least 100,000 soldiers should be provided. It should come with each other in the interior and in conflicts between Member States to use them.
- The Congreso Panamericano should have its own seat.
- A common Zollverein should guarantee mutual preferential trade.
- The League should be motivated by common interests, origin, language and religion and therefore be exclusive Spanish- American.
- The Bolivian motto jus potentiae equilibrium should maintain the balance between the Member States. To a predominance of a single state over others, it should not come.
The main objective was therefore a centralized Hispanic-American union with common, strong military forces. Bolívar had already made this Konzepz previously publicized, eg in the Carta de Jamaica.
In addition, support for Cuba and Puerto Rico were discussed, which were still colonies, the abolition of slavery, possible responses to three years previously approved by the U.S. Monroe Doctrine and the abolition of border tariffs.
Result
Result of the Congress was an ultimately ratified only by Colombia and very limited Treaty on Union League and eternal confederation of Latin American nations, in which the States concerned insured their collection. Its main objective was to obtain the sovereignty and independence of all members through defensive and offensive measures. The largest part of the contract governs the organization and recruitment of the armed forces. Although Mexico was initially interested in the contract, his enthusiasm disappeared with the news that Peru and the Central American confederation will not participate.
The complete absence of economic provisions in the contract resulted from the attempt to distinguish between the aspiring models for protectionist states to avoid conflicts. The United States lost as a result their interest in the association. Great Britain refused to enter into further commitments - such as the fight against the Spanish colonial power in the Caribbean.
In the decades of the perfect Pan-American Congress was held three more times: in 1848 in Lima, 1857 in Santiago de Chile in 1865 and most recently back in Lima. The results were similarly low in Panama.