The continent claims several success stories, including Panama's Copa Airlines, one of the most profitable carriers in the world.

ECONOMIST: Mexican airlines

Other elements of cooperation between Venezuela and Iran involve operations between an Iranian bank inside Venezuela called el Banco Internacional de Desarollo and a Venezuelan affiliate as well as many other Venezuelan banks including BANESCO that also owns banks in Panama and Florida.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: About the Chavez�CIranian connection

These nations, many of which are newly established democracies, including Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and possibly even Venezuela and Panama, can not afford to have their fragile democracies wrecked by insurgents as is happening in Colombia.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Hard Questions About the Coming War in Colombia

Panamanian officials point out that the canal is so important to world commerce and to Panama's future that they have taken strong measures to keep it above politics, including a constitutional amendment that makes the canal an autonomous corporation.

CNN: The Canal Cronies