Breaking News: U.S. Defense Secretary proposes military presence in Panama as US warships gain canal priority.

Citing information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on April 11, 2025, the United States and Panama have entered into a landmark defense agreement that significantly boosts military cooperation and grants U.S. warships and auxiliary vessels “first and free” access through the Panama Canal. The agreement, signed during U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s recent visit to Panama, is being positioned as part of a broader strategy to enhance regional security, strengthen bilateral defense ties, and counter China’s growing influence near one of the world's most strategic maritime corridors. Read full Defense News at this link ...

href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh1RKbXC1_KLbrU6U87toqGSbofQ8-MbN6Z1sWsQxHlB5NoVvcXfzp_nbCAsG9kWPTb4b_47DcUDHuwuQ58snhxN-0Wpo974BYrm677rXzGotnYDMfCgfydVO-4bjtMVVnG6_tD8eH5e-tnoQvJb9URXEuvXH5l6zuz1bKJyN8FKv-YaDPH3O7BbMdCdY/s1920/US%20Defense%20Secretary%20proposes%20military%20presence%20in%20Panama%20as%20US%20warships%20gain%20canal%20priority%20Breaking%20News%201920%20001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"> U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, and Public Security Minister Frank Alexis Abrego sign a landmark memorandum of understanding in Panama City on April 9, 2025, outlining a framework for cooperative security activities, including joint training exercises, humanitarian missions, and temporary deployments, as part of enhanced bilateral defense cooperation. (Picture source: Source U.S. DoD but with added editing Army Recognition Group)
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