Mezue nkebi ahịrịokwu a: N'afọ 1899, e hiwere Kọmitii Na-ahụ Maka Ọwa Mmiri n'Isthmus ka ha kpebie ebe kacha mma a ga-arụ ọwa mmiri ahụ (Nicaragua ka ọ̀ bụ Panama) ma hụ na a rụchara ya. Mgbe a chụpụrụ Nicaragua, Panama bụ nhọrọ doro anya. Otú ọ dị, nsogbu ụfọdụ bilitere. Ebe ọ bụ na United States nwere mmasị siri ike na Panama (nke bụ́ obere akụkụ Colombia n'oge ahụ), ma Colombia ma ụlọ ọrụ France nke gaje inye ihe ndị e ji ewu ụlọ ahụ weliri ọnụ ahịa ha. United States, n'ịjụ ịkwụ ụgwọ ndị dị elu karịa ndị a tụrụ anya ha, "kpalitere mgbanwe" na Colombia. Na November 3, 1903, Panama (n'enyemaka nke United States Navy) nupụụrụ Colombia isi. Panama ghọrọ mba ọhụrụ, na-anata nde $ 10 site na United States nanị. Panama nwetakwara ụgwọ ọnwa kwa afọ nke $250,000, na nkwa nke nnwere onwe. U.S. nwetara ikike nke
ọwa mmiri "ruo mgbe ebighị ebi". Roosevelt mesịrị kwuo na ya "were Ọwa mmiri ahụ, ma hapụ ndị Congress ka ha na-arụrịta ụka". Mgbe Colombia tụfuru Panama, ha gbalịrị ịrịọ United States arịrịọ site n'ịtụleghachi nkwekọrịta dị iche iche na ọbụna ịkpọ Panama City isi obodo Colombia.