Panama commemorates 60th anniversary of so-called flag riots over US-controlled Canal Zone, Panama City - 09 Jan 2024
Panamanian flags placed on the graves of the martyrs of 09 January 1964 at the Peace Garden in Panama City, Panama, 09 January 2024. Panama is commemorating the 60th anniversary of a student protest action that led to the recovery of the interoceanic canal built and managed by the United States for nearly 86 years. On 09 January 1964, more than twenty students lost their lives while protesting against US troops who had torn down a Panamanian flag. Over twenty students lost their lives that day while confronting US troops who had torn down a Panamanian flag. This incident, known as Martyrs' Day and commemorated as National Sovereignty Day since 2014, consolidated the fight over the sovereignty of the Panama Canal Zone and laid the groundwork for the negotiations that eventually led to the complete transfer of the zone to Panama by the US on 31 December 1999, effectively ending the presence of US troops.
