Underscoring their dedication to regional security, Panama and the United States conducted a joint maritime counterdrug effort, Operación Triángulo Sur (Operation Southern Triangle), from December 2025 through January 2026. This combined mission served to bolster an international endeavor aimed at disrupting narco-terrorist operations across the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
For decades, Panamanian and U.S. forces have stood as a united front against maritime narco-terrorists as part of Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S), headquartered at Naval Air Station (NAS) Key West. Beyond daily collaboration, both forces complete annual joint exercises to ensure unity of action and interoperability of equipment and planning processes, guaranteeing operational success. Both nations share a firm commitment to combating illicit drug trafficking throughout Central and South America.
“JIATF-S works very closely with our partner nation, Panama,” stated the JIATF-S Central America Plans Chief. “They are talented partners with a proven record of completing challenging counterdrug operations with skill and professionalism. Our decades-long partnership against the common threat of illicit trafficking has been strengthened by Panama’s leadership, as they continually raise the bar for excellence in our shared mission.”
In the most-recent operation, Panama’s National Air and Naval Service (Servicio Nacional Aeronaval, SENAN) spearheaded tactical seizures, while U.S. assets provided enhanced logistical and intelligence support. Panamanian interceptors successfully completed multiple skilled interdictions, thwarting dozens of narco-terrorists and preventing thousands of kilograms of illicit drugs from entering the regional community. In one notable engagement, SENAN forces seized over 5,500 kg of cocaine within a matter of minutes.
According to a senior Panamanian staff member, authorized to speak on behalf of the operation, these tactical victories were the result of internal synergy. “Panama’s National Air and Naval Service forces were supported by SENAN’s National Intelligence Directorate [DIAN] during these successful drug seizures.”
This most recent joint operation featured significant improvements to operations planning, intelligence sharing, and real-time communications, maximizing resource allocation and increasing interdiction effectiveness. As Panama and the United States increase their maximum pressure campaigns against transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), multiple regional joint operations against narco-terrorists remain underway, with a new phase of targeted operations currently in the planning stages.
JIATF-S coordinates Campaign MARTILLO (Hammer), a multinational detection, monitoring, targeting, and interdiction operation. Counternarcotics operations are conducted by military and law enforcement from 21 partner nations spanning North, Central, South America, and Europe. Supported by the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, and federal law enforcement, and reinforced by U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Campaign MARTILLO denies shipment routes for narcotics and other illicit commodities.
The efforts of JIATF-S are seeing increased success, fueled in part by advanced technology. JIATF-S now operates an Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) Joint Operations Center (JOC) to enhance its operations and better support partner nations such as Panama.
In fiscal year 2025, JIATF-S-supported operations resulted in the seizure and disruption of 455.8 metric tons of cocaine. The multinational agency is reportedly on track to “shatter that record” in 2026, driven by superior intelligence, operational integration, and partner nation capability.
According to the JIATF-S Deputy Chief of Special Projects, “The AI Battle Lab at JIATF-S is providing a decisive operational advantage. We are seeing marked improvement in how JIATF-S facilitates interdictions and supports their partners. Panama has contributed to this improvement, and we are extremely grateful for their skilled partnership.”
Panamanian forces remain steadfast in their vigilant campaign against narco-terrorist networks. Ultimately, the impact of these operations is measured far beyond the sheer volume of narcotics seized or the number of criminal cells dismantled. Victory is found in the safety of every community shielded from the disastrous effects of drug addiction, ecological destruction, corruption, and violence enabled by narcotics profits.
