how might the presence of the canal have seemed threatening to latin american nations?

The presence of the canal might have seemed threatening to Latin American nations primarily because it symbolized and facilitated increased U.S. military and economic influence in the region. The canal represented U.S. dominance over a key strategic point in Central America, allowing the U.S. to exert control over maritime trade routes and leverage military power between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This presence could be perceived as an infringement on the sovereignty of Latin American countries and a sign of imperialistic ambitions. The U.S. control of the canal zone, especially following its support for Panama's independence from Colombia to secure the canal, fostered tensions and fears of U.S. interventionism in the region. The canal served as a tool for the U.S. to project power and influence throughout Latin America, making many nations wary of the dominance it represented and the political and economic leverage it gave Washington over the hemisphere.