Panama and U.S. hold jungle drills to boost canal security

Around 128 members of Panama's public security forces trained alongside U.S. Marines in a jungle exercise called “Milla Verde” at the Senan base in Sherman, Colón. The course, running from 1 July to 31 August 2026, covered land navigation, river operations, beach landings, patrols and aerial medical evacuations. Director General Luis de Gracia of the Servicio Nacional de Aeronaval said the drills aim to strengthen Panama’s ability to counter irregular forces and protect the strategic Panama Canal. The training is part of the broader Panama 2026 exercises, which involve roughly 1,700 police officers from about 20 countries.