Particle.news
Download on the App Store
7 ARTICLES
·
2w ago

U.S. and Panama Forge Security Pact to Safeguard Panama Canal from Chinese Influence

The newly signed agreement allows toll-free U.S. warship passage and deepens defense cooperation, though questions about Panama's sovereignty persist.

A cargo ship sails under Las Americas bridge through the Panama Canal, in Panama City, Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix)
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, right, and Panama Canal Authority Administrator Ricaurte Vasquez, second from right, cross a bridge during a tour of the Panama Canal's Miraflores Locks in Panama City on Tuesday.
Image
Image

Overview

  • The United States and Panama signed a memorandum of understanding and joint declaration on April 9, 2025, enhancing security cooperation over the Panama Canal.
  • The agreement grants U.S. warships toll-free passage through the canal and includes joint military training, cyber cooperation, and infrastructure development.
  • The partnership aims to counteract Chinese influence in the region, a key U.S. strategic objective tied to global trade and national defense concerns.
  • Discrepancies in joint statements have raised ambiguity over U.S. recognition of Panama's sovereignty, with differing language in English and Spanish versions.
  • Panama has ruled out permanent U.S. military bases, opting instead for rotational troop deployments and joint exercises to maintain sovereignty.