Panama Canal
Colombia, France, and later the United States controlled the territory surrounding the canal during construction. The US continued to control the canal and surrounding Panama Canal Zone until the 1977 Torrijos–Carter Treaties provided for handover to Panama. After a period of joint American–Panamanian control, in 1999, the canal was taken over by the Panamanian government. It is now managed and operated by the government-owned Panama Canal Authority.
Mexico–Panama relations
During the 1970s, Mexico became a vocal supporter for dialogue between Panama and the United States for eventual Panamanian control of the Panama Canal. In 1977, Panama and the United States signed the Torrijos–Carter Treaties giving Panama eventual control of the canal in December 1999. During the 1980s, foreign ministers of Colombia, Mexico, Panama and Venezuela created the Contadora Group in order to diplomatically try to resolve the crisis facing many Central American nations at the time.