A new chapter in U.S.–Panama security cooperation is set to begin this week, as a contingent of U.S. Marines arrives in the country for a six-week joint training program with Panamanian security forces.
According to statements released by Panama’s National Aeronaval Service (SENAN) and reported by local outlets, the training will officially start Monday, Jan. 12, and run through Feb. 26, 2026, bringing together American forces and more than sixty Panamanian law enforcement officials.
The program will involve 50 U.S. Marines working alongside personnel from SENAN, Panama’s National Police, and the Senafront National Border Service. Training will be conducted at two key facilities: the Admiral Cristóbal Colón Naval Air Base on Panama’s Atlantic coast and the Naval Base Commander Noel Antonio Rodríguez Justavino in Howard, Arraiján. Panamanian officials were careful to emphasize that the exercises will be conducted with “strict respect for national sovereignty,” a phrase that reflects both domestic sensitivities and regional political realities.
El ministro @frankabregom y el viceministro Luis Felipe Icaza se reunieron con personal de Aeronaval y Senafront para coordinar detalles de la #OperaciónPanamax, enfocada en la protección del Canal de Panamá, con la participación de armadas de varios países.#ConPasoFirme pic.twitter.com/IAxAvB8Njc
— Ministerio de Seguridad Pública de Panamá (@MinSegPma) January 8, 2026
In its statement, SENAN framed the effort as part of a long-standing bilateral relationship with Washington. The stated goal is to strengthen technical, tactical, and operational capabilities across Panama’s security forces while improving interoperability and professional readiness. Rather than focusing on a single threat, the training is designed to prepare participants for a range of operational scenarios, reinforcing coordination between air, naval, and ground components.
The timing of the exercise is notable. Panama’s Security Ministry is already laying the groundwork for the next iteration of PANAMAX, a biennial, multinational command post exercise sponsored by U.S. Southern Command and focused on protecting the Panama Canal. Last week, Security Minister Frank Abrego met with senior officials to coordinate upcoming PANAMAX activities, which Panamanian authorities view as central to safeguarding the canal and broader national interests.
This latest training initiative builds on a Memorandum of Understanding signed in April 2025 during a visit by U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth. That agreement expanded bilateral military cooperation, allowing for increased joint activities and support at shared locations.
At the time, Hegseth outlined three core priorities for the partnership: securing borders and curbing mass illegal migration, countering violent cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting the Panama Canal while pushing back against China’s growing influence in the region.
That final point has not gone unnoticed internationally. Beijing responded sharply to Hegseth’s remarks last year, accusing him of undermining China’s relationship with Panama. Against that backdrop, the arrival of U.S. Marines for extended joint training carries strategic significance well beyond its stated scope, signaling that Washington and Panama intend to deepen their security alignment at a moment of increasing regional competition.
