Panama Hosts Security Talks: Tensions Rise Over Borders, Cartels, China

Diplomats and military leaders from across the Americas converged in Panama on April 9, 2025, for the Central American Security Conference. The event, known as CENTSEC, drew high-profile attendees, including U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who underscored the urgency of collective action. With rising tensions over border control, criminal networks, and foreign influence, the conference aimed to forge a unified front. For many in the region, the stakes feel tangible, as decisions here could ripple through communities far beyond the meeting rooms.

Hegseth’s address set the tone, emphasizing threats that hit close to home for millions, like unchecked migration and cartel violence. He framed the gathering as a chance to strengthen ties among nations sharing a hemisphere, and a history, under strain. The presence of Panama’s strategic canal loomed large, a reminder of how geography ties these countries together, for better or worse. Attendees left the opening session buzzing with questions about what unity might look like in practice.

Border security topped the agenda, with the U.S. pushing for tighter controls across the region. Hegseth argued that protecting national borders equates to safeguarding sovereignty, a view echoed by several Central American ministers. The U.S. has ramped up efforts, from biometric tech donations to Panama to deportation flights landing in Guatemala and El Salvador. Yet, these moves stir debate. While some see them as vital to stability, others point to the human cost, stranded migrants piling up in Mexico or returned to volatile homelands.

Historical patterns offer context. Decades of U.S. border policies, from mass deportations in the 1950s to recent asylum curbs, have shifted migration flows, often leaving Central American nations to manage the fallout. Research shows a 90% drop in crossings through Panama’s Darién Gap since 2023, thanks to joint operations with Mexico. Still, the root causes, violence, poverty, and climate shifts, keep driving people northward, testing the limits of enforcement-focused strategies.

Transnational crime networks drew sharp focus, with the U.S. labeling cartels as terrorist groups. Hegseth called for a coordinated push to dismantle their operations, which stretch from Mexico’s trafficking routes to Chile’s rising gang violence. These groups profit from chaos, smuggling drugs, people, and fear into communities across borders. Leaders nodded in agreement, acknowledging how cartels erode local control, with some areas in Central America effectively run by these shadowy outfits.

The approach isn’t new, but it’s evolving. Past U.S.-Mexico collaborations poured billions into security, yet cartels adapted, morphing into decentralized brokers linked to global players like Italy’s ‘Ndrangheta. Violence has spiked in quieter corners like Uruguay, where homicides jumped over 25% in a year. Regional leaders face a tough reality, cracking down risks escalation, but inaction cedes ground. Cooperation, from intelligence sharing to joint raids, emerged as a fragile lifeline.

Beyond the Americas, China’s growing footprint sparked unease. Hegseth highlighted Beijing’s control of land and infrastructure, from energy grids to telecoms, as a strategic play. China’s Belt and Road projects have made it South America’s top trading partner, while military ties, like arms sales to Venezuela, deepen its reach. The Panama Canal, a chokepoint for global trade, crystallized the stakes, with the U.S. vowing to keep it free of foreign dominance.

Views on China split the room. Some see its investments as a lifeline, filling gaps left by uneven U.S. engagement since the Cold War. Others warn of a slow erosion of autonomy, pointing to China’s fishing fleets draining local waters or its space stations extending Beijing’s eyes skyward. Decades of trade, starting with raw materials in the 1940s, have built to this moment. Deterrence, not conflict, was the goal, but the path forward remains murky.

The conference closed with pledges of deeper ties. The U.S. announced plans to deploy the Naval Ship Comfort to Panama and expand military training across the region. Joint exercises, like CENTAM Guardian, aim to sync up defenses, while partnerships like the National Guard’s programs logged hundreds of activities last year. For everyday people, this could mean more stability, or just more helicopters overhead. Panama’s role as a linchpin, hosting the canal and U.S. allies, underscored its weight in the talks.

Looking back, U.S. military ties here stretch to the 1950s, with bases and treaties cementing influence. Today’s efforts build on that, blending security with practical aid, like disaster prep or drug busts. Leaders framed it as mutual benefit, not dominance, a nod to past critiques of overreach. Whether this balance holds will depend on trust, and results, in a region wary of promises.

CENTSEC wrapped up with handshakes and guarded optimism. The threats, migration, cartels, and foreign powers, aren’t going anywhere soon. Leaders left with a blueprint for action, but the real test comes in execution. For citizens across the Americas, from border towns to canal zones, success could mean safer streets and stronger economies. Failure risks a slide into deeper unrest, a prospect no one wants to face.

The hemisphere stands at a pivot point. History shows cooperation can shift the tide, as with Cold War alliances or anti-drug pacts. Yet, divisions linger, over tactics, priorities, and who foots the bill. The conference laid bare a shared need, to protect what’s at stake, kids, communities, a way of life. Whether these nations can pull it off together is the question echoing beyond Panama’s shores.