Fifty US Marines and 61 specialized Panamanian units will begin, on this Monday (12), a joint exercise to protect the Panama Canal, extending until February 26. This is the first of several trainings planned for 2026 between the two countries, following three simulations conducted in 2025. The program aims to enhance professional preparation and response capacity in operational scenarios, according to an official statement.
The joint training between Panama and the United States began on this Monday (January 12, 2026), aiming to strengthen security around the Panama Canal. Announced on Sunday (11), the exercise involves 50 US Marines and 61 units from Panama's National Aerial and Naval Service, National Police, and National Border Service. It will extend until February 26 and is the first in a series planned for the year.
In 2025, the two countries conducted three similar security simulations. The recent context includes diplomatic tensions: on January 2, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino declared the end of the crisis with the US, following threats by former President Donald Trump to retake control of the canal, alleging Chinese influence. If carried out, such action would be the first US intervention in Panama for national security reasons since 1989, when US troops invaded to oust dictator Manuel Noriega, accused of drug trafficking.
Last year, US warships visited the canal during a US military operation in the Caribbean against Venezuelan drug traffickers, resulting in the capture of dictator Nicolás Maduro. The official statement emphasizes that the training seeks to "enhance professional preparation and response capacity in operational scenarios".
