Share

CCTV: Farnsworth on Nicaragua's Canal

On December 22, Chinese developers and Nicaraguan authorities broke ground on a $50 billion inter-ocean canal that would bisect the country and offer an alternative to the Panama Canal. In an interview with CCTV, COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth discussed the project's aspirations and commented on questions of its feasibility. "There is a lot of skepticism because a lot of the questions that have been asked about a project of this magnitude simply haven’t been answered," Farnsworth said, "But at the same time it does seem, at least initially, to be a serious effort." Farnsworth also spoke about some of the political and economic reasons that the Nicaraguan government might be pursuing the project.

Learn more about the canal development in an AS/COA Online Explainer.

Related

Nicaragua's Latest Authoritarian Moves

"It feels like an attempt to privatize the country for [Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo's] own interests," says AS/COA's Eric Farnsworth to Axios.

Joe Biden and Xi Jinping
Eric Farnsworth on NPR about APEC and Trump's Proposed Tariffs

If the United States does not pay more attention to the region, "needs will be fulfilled by China," said the AS/COA vice president to the radio network.