The United States will increase the scale of its military presence in Panama, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced after his visit to Panama.
“We welcome the opportunity to expand the presence of US troops here to guarantee the sovereignty of the Panama Canal“, the Pentagon chief said at a joint press conference with Panamanian Public Security Minister Frank Abrego. It was held in Panama City, and the Pentagon broadcast it live on its website.
Hegseth did not go into details, but mentioned "rotational joint exercises" in Panama.
At the same time, the head of the US military department avoided answering the question of whether the current US administration, led by President Donald Trump, recognizes Panama's sovereignty over the canal located in this country between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
„We certainly understand that the Panama Canal is in Panama. Protecting Panama's sovereignty from bad influences is important. So when President Trump says that we are taking back the Panama Canal from China, this implies a partnership between the United States and Panama“, Hegseth said.
He confirmed that under the new US-Panamanian agreements, American military and commercial ships will receive priority free passage through the canal.
„It was important for us that in emergency situations our troops could move first and for free“, he emphasized.
Trump has repeatedly said that Washington must regain control of the Panama Canal. He criticized the high fees for the Panama Canal, stressing that the transfer of control of the facility in 1999 was a "gesture of cooperation", not a concession to other countries.
On January 20, in his inaugural speech, he announced his intention to "take back" the Panama Canal. The US leader also claimed, without providing evidence, that the waterway was controlled by China. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian called the information about China's complete control over the Panama Canal "absolutely false". Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino noted that sovereignty over the canal and the country's independence cannot be negotiated.
On the day of Hegseth's visit, Panama's prosecutor's office announced that it had opened an investigation into Panama Ports Company, which owns ports on both sides of the Panama Canal and is owned by Hong Kong investment conglomerate CK Hutchison. Meanwhile, on March 5, CK Hutchison said it would sell a 90% stake in its subsidiary, which operates ports on both sides of the Panama Canal, to American investors. The investor group, which includes BlackRock, Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment, will also acquire 80% of other subsidiaries that own and operate 43 ports and 199 berths in 23 countries. The deal is valued at $22.8 billion.
The Panama Canal, which opened in 1914, was built and controlled by the United States. The 1977 Torihos-Carter Treaty established a phased transfer of the canal to Panama, which was completed in 1999. The agreement provides for the neutrality of the canal and its accessibility to world trade. It remains a vital route for the global economy and a key area of interest for the United States.