Anarchism in Panama began as an organized movement among immigrant workers, brought to the country to work on the numerous megaprojects throughout its history.
The construction period conducted by the United States brought about 40,000 workers from Central America and the Caribbean to the country.
[2]: 291 The most libertarian workers came from Spain, a country where the anarchist movement was tightly organized and held revolutionary experience.
Panamanian anarchists organized as a fringe movement within the Federación Obrera, which had been formed by the liberal politician Belisario Porras, where they promoted a tenants’ strike.
[4] In 1924, a group of anarcho-syndicalists established the Sindicato General de Trabajadores, the first national trade union center in Panama, which attracted thousands of members, including foreign and Panamanian anarchists, as well as the future leaders of the Communist and Socialist parties.