US and Panama Forge Deeper Security Ties

In February 2025, U.S. and Panamanian special operations forces gathered for their first official talks, a landmark moment in a partnership stretching back decades. Held alongside joint training exercises, the discussions underscored a shared resolve to tackle regional challenges. From securing the Panama Canal to curbing drug trafficking, the collaboration reflects years of groundwork laid by both nations’ security forces, now poised to deepen further.

The meeting, hosted in Panama, brought together key figures like Navy Rear Adm. Mark A. Schafer, commander of U.S. Special Operations Command South (Socsouth), and Panama’s Public Security Minister Frank Abrego. Their focus? Strengthening a bond that’s quietly bolstered stability in Central America. With U.S. personnel deployed across 80 countries, this partnership stands out as a practical example of how military ties can shape a region’s future.

Joint training exercises, known as Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET), ran parallel to the talks, blending hands-on practice with strategic dialogue. Panamanian and U.S. forces sharpened skills in marksmanship, small-unit tactics, and medical care, fields where collaboration has proven its worth. Since 2008, Socsouth has trained Panama’s National Border Service in counter-narcotics operations, a mission that’s yielded tangible results, like sharper interdiction efforts along trafficking routes.

These exchanges do more than hone technical abilities. They foster trust and understanding between troops who might one day operate side by side. Historical efforts, dating back to the 1970s, show JCETs improve interoperability, letting U.S. personnel adapt to local conditions while Panamanian forces gain leadership experience. It’s a low-cost, high-return approach, though some experts note the strain on U.S. resources as demand for such programs grows.

Panama’s location makes it a linchpin for U.S. interests, especially with the Panama Canal handling a hefty share of global trade, much of it U.S.-bound. Exercises like Panamax-Alpha, running for over a decade, spotlight this reality, focusing on canal security and regional teamwork. The U.S. presence here isn’t just about military might; it’s a counterweight to rising influences, like China’s economic push through its Belt and Road Initiative, which has sparked debate over sovereignty in the region.

Beyond the canal, the partnership tackles broader threats: narcotrafficking, organized crime, and even natural disasters. U.S. SOF’s forward deployment model, refined since the 1980s, emphasizes steady engagement over sporadic intervention. Critics argue it stretches thin an already tight budget—USSOCOM’s funding has barely budged since 2019—but supporters point to Panama’s hosting of Fuerzas Comando 2024 as proof of its value, drawing 450 personnel from multiple nations to sharpen skills and ties.

The talks produced a memorandum of agreement, locking in plans for long-term training and cooperation. It’s a framework built on decades of effort, from counter-narcotics wins in the 1990s to today’s focus on agility against evolving threats. Yet, hurdles loom. Transnational crime adapts fast, and flat funding for U.S. special operations raises questions about sustaining momentum. Panama, too, balances its U.S. ties with regional pressures, including economic overtures from Beijing.

Voices from both sides see the stakes clearly. Schafer praised Panama’s forces for their professionalism, while local leaders value the boost to their capabilities. Still, the partnership’s future hinges on navigating these tensions—keeping the canal secure, crime in check, and relations steady amid a shifting geopolitical landscape.

This latest chapter in U.S.-Panama relations builds on a legacy of quiet, steady work. It’s not flashy, but it’s effective—training sessions and talks that ripple outward, steadying a region prone to upheaval. The agreement sets a course for deeper collaboration, though success depends on both nations adapting to new realities, from budget constraints to external rivals eyeing Central America.

For people watching from afar, it’s a reminder of how military partnerships can shape daily life—safer borders, smoother trade, a bit more breathing room in a tense world. The U.S. and Panama aren’t rewriting the rulebook here. They’re doubling down on what’s worked, betting on trust and teamwork to carry them forward.