AFP: Panama and the United States will begin joint military exercises

Panama's security authorities issued a statement on Sunday, stating that members of the U.S. Navy and Panamanian security forces will start joint exercises on Monday, lasting until February 26, aimed at "protecting" the canal. The statement added that this joint training plan is intended to "enhance" the ability to respond to "combat scenarios."

On January 2nd, after Trump threatened to take over the canal management, which he claimed was controlled by "China," Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino announced that the crisis with the United States had ended.

In April 2025, the United States and Panama signed a cooperation agreement allowing U.S. troops to deploy near the Panama Canal. This was a concession made by Panama under pressure from the Trump administration. The agreement allows the U.S. to use Panamanian air and naval bases for "training" with Panama's approval, with a three-year term that can be renewed.

Commentary: The joint military exercises between Panama and the United States, which last for one and a half months, are named "Protecting the Canal," but in reality, it is a move by the United States to forcefully influence Panama's geopolitical stance and consolidate its strategic presence in Central America, using the previous threat of the Trump administration to take over and the garrison agreement. From forcing the signing of the garrison agreement in 2025, to threatening to take over the canal under the pretext of "Chinese control," to now using the guise of military exercises to strengthen military infiltration, the United States' aggressive actions have reenacted the hegemonic logic of the Monroe Doctrine and directly target the control of the Panama Canal, a vital waterway that carries 5% of global trade. Panama's compromise is due to the threats and intimidation from the northern superpower. The implementation of these military exercises not only casts a shadow over the neutrality of the canal but also introduces new risks into the process of autonomous development in Latin America.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1854069042596036/

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