Browsing: Central America

Guatemalan Army Special Forces and Arkansas National Guardsmen recently trained together at Fort Polk, Louisiana, during Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation 26-08 as part of the Department of War National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program (SPP) between Arkansas and Guatemala. Arkansas and Guatemala were paired together 24 years ago through the SPP. Numerous exchanges occur annually that address training,…

Medical teams from Panama’s Ministry of Health (MINSA), Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo), and the Missouri National Guard worked side by side during PANAMAX 2026 to strengthen medical readiness and interoperability while providing healthcare services to communities in Colón, Panama. The Medical Readiness Training Exercise (MEDRETE), held August 4-7 at Altos de los Lagos School combined hands-on medical training with…

Multinational defense and security forces have ramped up operations in Panama and are fully integrated and training together during PANAMAX 2026. With a primary focus on safeguarding the Panama Canal, PANAMAX includes 19 partner nations exercising their collective capacity to maintain security and stability in the region while protecting the Western Hemisphere. The nerve center of PANAMAX 2026 lies at…

Panama and the United States concluded the annual bilateral exercise PANAMAX Alpha on July 27, strengthening interoperability, humanitarian response capabilities, and operational coordination between the two partners. Conducted with support from U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), the exercise brought together personnel from Panama’s National Air and Naval Service (SENAN), and Joint Task Force Bravo (JTF-Bravo) for humanitarian assistance missions, technical exchanges,…

More than 300 Panamanians in the rural community of Las Playitas will no longer face decades of isolation and danger following the inauguration of the first bridge built under a cooperation program between Panama and the United States. The initiative will improve connectivity in rural communities and enhance the quality of life for hundreds of families. The bridge, inaugurated in…

As PANAMAX 2026 unfolds in Panama, the exercise’s significance extends far beyond the number of participating countries or personnel. Its lasting value lies in what it leaves behind: command procedures, joint protocols, and interagency coordination mechanisms that continue to strengthen Panama’s ability to protect the Canal and other strategic infrastructure and respond to complex security challenges. The multinational hemispheric security…

As Panama prepares to host PANAMAX 2026, national authorities are approaching the multinational exercise through a principle that has become increasingly central to the country’s long-term planning: water comes first. The exercise, which brings together partner nations to strengthen coordination for the protection of the Panama Canal and other strategic infrastructure, will take place within a system where water management…