Challenges of conquering maritime trade routes on the XXI century. Trump’s return: the Panama Canal, Greenland, the Galapagos Islands and sea control
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The expansion policy of the United States was born from its strategic thinkers, who saw the sea as a means of conquest and hegemony, which after the world conflicts in the 20th century, has allowed it to strengthen its economic power based on multiple alliances, as well as the development of a merchant fleet and a Navy to defend them, with the result that the nation that dominates the sea, dominates the world. Given this situation, the return of Donald Trump marks a beginning, where he seeks for this nation to recover its hegemony against its economic and military rivals such as China and Russia, which have a growing economic and military presence throughout the world, expanding to the sea. Given this problem, the main objective of this essay is to analyze Donald Trump's performance in relation to his positions to regain his political and economic hegemony through the Panama Canal, Greenland, as well as the future of the Galapagos Islands, in the face of China's constant economic presence in South America. The main result shows how the sea constitutes a strategic reserve which contains the necessary resources for the survival of any nation; while its main conclusion focuses on the geopolitical role that the sea plays, and how the “Choke Points” have triggered the interest of Donald Trump, having his attention on the Panama Canal, Greenland, depending on this the future of the Galapagos Islands as a strategic point to operate planes and ships from this position, for the fight against drug trafficking and the defense of the Panama Canal.
Authors: Víctor Tomás Gómez Bravo, Jorge Luis Silva Ramos, Maidy Jasmín Martínez Freire
Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico de la Armada del Ecuador
Language: English
Subfield: Transportation
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409872936