US Pentagon chief suggests reviving military presence in Panama, faces rejection

During a visit to Panama, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth floated the idea of re-establishing US military bases or naval air stations in the country to “secure” the strategically vital Panama Canal.

Hegseth suggested that, “by invitation,” the US could “revive” these bases and rotate deployments of troops to the isthmus, a territory the US invaded 35 years ago, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The US has long been involved in military exercises in Panama, but Hegseth’s proposal of a rotational force, similar to the one the US maintains in Darwin, Australia, raised concerns among Panamanians. The suggestion was quickly rejected by Panama’s government. “Panama made clear, through President Mulino, that we cannot accept military bases or defence sites,” said Panama’s Security Minister, Frank Abrego, during a joint appearance with Hegseth.

Hegseth also mentioned that the US was seeking a deal for its warships to pass through the Panama Canal “first, and free,” an idea Panama’s Minister for Canal Affairs, Jose Ramón Icaza, countered. “We will seek a mechanism by which warships and auxiliary ships can have a compensation system for services, that is, a way to make them cost-neutral but not free,” Icaza said. The Panama Canal Authority (PCA) emphasized that under current treaties, the canal is open to all countries, with vessels paying the same rates based on capacity and cargo.

The Pentagon chief’s visit also included discussions about China’s growing influence in Latin America. “We do not seek war with China. And war with China is certainly not inevitable. We do not seek it in any form,” Hegseth stated, adding that the US must “robustly and vigorously deter China’s threats in this hemisphere.” In response, China criticized Hegseth’s remarks, accusing the US of “maliciously attacking China … exposing the US’s bullying nature.”

Hegseth’s comments come amid tensions over Chinese involvement in the Panama Canal, with the US expressing concerns over the influence of China-based companies operating port facilities at both ends of the canal.

By Vafa Guliyeva