Panama hosts Panamax 2026 exercise with forces from eight nations

Around 500 elite troops from Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, the United States, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and the Dominican Republic have arrived in Panama to begin the Panamax 2026 multinational drill. The exercise, organized by Panama's Ministry of Public Security, expects about 1,700 personnel from roughly 20 countries once all contingents – including Germany, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, the Netherlands, Paraguay and the United Kingdom – join.

Panamax 2026 is designed to improve coordination among participating armed forces through simulated naval, land, air and special‑operations missions, as well as extensive logistics scenarios. The drills aim to test joint response capabilities to common threats and to protect critical regional infrastructure, notably the Panama Canal. Civil‑society groups in Panama have voiced criticism, arguing that the exercises could compromise national sovereignty.

The presence of U.S. Southern Command forces underscores the strategic emphasis on regional security, while the broad participation highlights a collective effort to strengthen multilateral defense cooperation in Central America and the Caribbean.