Panamanian President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino has publicly rejected the idea of allowing U.S. military bases on Panamanian soil, following a proposal made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a regional security summit in Panama City.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Central American Security Conference earlier this week, Hegseth floated the possibility of establishing American military bases along the Panama Canal. While he stressed that any deployment would require Panama\u2019s consent, President Mulino swiftly dismissed the idea, emphasizing the nation\u2019s sovereignty and constitutional limits on foreign military presence.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo foreign military bases will be established in Panama,\u201d Mulino affirmed in a statement following the conference. \u201cOur sovereignty is non-negotiable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite the rejection, a joint communiqu\u00e9 between the two countries permits the deployment of U.S. troops to Panamanian military installations along the Canal for training purposes. The agreement, framed as a deepening of defense cooperation, is seen by observers as a diplomatic compromise amid growing geopolitical tensions over the strategic waterway.<\/p>\n
The controversy deepened after the Panamanian government requested that the English version of the communiqu\u00e9 be corrected to reflect the country\u2019s sovereignty \u2014 a word reportedly omitted from the original Spanish version. Following Panama\u2019s intervention, U.S. officials acknowledged the country’s sovereignty over the Canal.<\/p>\n
The dispute comes amid increasing friction between the two nations, exacerbated by President Donald Trump\u2019s rhetoric. Trump has repeatedly claimed that China exerts control over the Panama Canal and that the United States pays \u201can unfair price\u201d to use the key maritime route. Both allegations have been strongly refuted by Panamanian authorities.<\/p>\n
Mulino met with Hegseth between April 7 and 9, along with other top officials including the Panama Canal Administrator and the Ministers of Security and Canal Affairs. While both countries have expressed interest in strengthening military cooperation, Mulino reiterated that such efforts must respect Panama\u2019s territorial autonomy.<\/p>\n
In recent weeks, Washington has ramped up its strategic focus on Latin America as part of its broader campaign to counter Chinese influence across key global infrastructure. The Panama Canal, a vital passage for global trade, has become a focal point of this strategy.<\/p>\n
Mulino\u2019s firm stance signals Panama\u2019s intent to preserve its neutrality and control over one of the world\u2019s most critical maritime chokepoints, even as global powers jockey for influence in the region.<\/p>\n
The developments are likely to remain under close watch as both countries navigate an increasingly delicate diplomatic balancing act.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Panamanian President Jos\u00e9 Ra\u00fal Mulino has publicly rejected the idea of allowing U.S. military bases on Panamanian soil, following a proposal made by U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth during a regional security summit in Panama City. Speaking at the Central American Security Conference earlier this week, Hegseth floated the possibility of establishing American military<\/p>","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":12034,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_1160854738579181570_1160854738579181570":"","facebook_3558452337540614_100649324928663":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,17],"tags":[285,772,243,266],"class_list":{"0":"post-12033","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-americans","8":"category-politics","9":"tag-amnewsworld","10":"tag-panama-city","11":"tag-politics","12":"tag-reporters"},"yoast_head":"\n