The Watermelon Slice Incident

Excessive arrogance and desire to have the geopolitical hegemony over nations that characterizes the United States, were the north that oriented its interventionist policy from the mid-nineteenth century. Since then, using all its economic potential, it has created an insurmountable armed structure and the highest technology, in order to maintain its supremacy over the rest of the world.

When we go back to the beginning of that century, we come across a significant date in the calendar of our nationality, that of April 15, 1856, the date on which a violent conflict between Panamanians and North Americans took place in Panama, which went down in history under the legendary name “The Slice Incident watermelons” and which was created in the first of about twenty raids United States in Panama, when these are included in paragraph 1 Article XXXV of the Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty established thisue “Citizens, ships and goods United States, d.They will enjoy all the franchises, privileges, and immunities in connection with trade and navigation which the citizens of New Granada now enjoy,” and using their arrogance, they have overrun our little town as a result of an obvious and insignificant event. All this happened when the American Jack Oliver was in his drunk refused to pay To José Manuel Luna, a watermelon seller from Parité, one real, which was the price of a slice of fruit, which led to a great stormy fight between North Americans and Panamanians over the railroad and ended with a tragic toll of 16 dead and 15 wounded among the North Americans and 1 dead and 13 wounded for the Panamanians and other Latin Americans who joined the fight of the Istmeños. The conflict had serious political, diplomatic and economic consequences for New Granada and therefore, to Panama that he is part of her.

The reports of both governments were contradictory as they accused each other, however, then the imposing position of the United States is highlighted, by ignoring the official testimony of the consuls Great Britain, France and Ecuador who accused the Americans of being the aggressors. After 5 months of the incident, the United States landed on September 19, 1856, 160 troops and the train station was occupied. United Statess, in this way, insisted that the Government of Granada take responsibility for the disturbances that day and put on the table the following conditions for the non-occupation of the territory: that the cities of Panama and Colon to be governed under the sovereignty of New Granada, and New Granada yield to NOW several islands in the Gulf of Panama to be used as military bases, which New Granada transferred to the United States their rights over the trans-Isthmian railway, as well as the payment of damages for loss of life and destruction of property. After various diplomatic disagreements, on September 10, 1857, it was concluded with the signing of the Herrán-Cass Treaty by which the Republic of New Granada admitted responsibility for the incidents and accepted a payment to the United States of $412,394 in gold.