US troops have arrived in Panama to participate in military exercises aimed at protecting the strategically important Panama Canal. The deployment of forces is the result of a bilateral agreement between the two countries signed in April, Agence France-Presse reports, citing a statement by the US ambassador to Panama, BTA reports.
According to the agreement, US troops can be deployed in the canal area, but there are no plans to build permanent military bases. Panamanian authorities stressed that the presence of US forces would be temporary and on a rotational basis, with any entry subject to Panamanian approval.
According to a statement from the US embassy, the exercises would include joint operations with Panamanian security forces, particularly in forested and inaccessible areas.
However, the agreement has sparked strong reactions in the country. Numerous unions and civil society organizations have staged protests, accusing the government of allowing violations of national sovereignty. According to them, the presence of American troops is a step towards restoring old military bases, which were removed after the transfer of the Panama Canal in 1999.
Panama signed the new security agreement after increased pressure from US President Donald Trump, who expressed concerns that the canal was falling under Chinese influence and threatened the US to "take back control".
In recent years, the US military has already participated in several joint military exercises on the territory of Panama with the participation of other Latin American countries, AFP recalls.