US Command Visits Panama to Strengthen Canal Security, Fight Drugs

(MENAFN) Gen. Francis L. Donovan, head of US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), is visiting Panama for high-level discussions with government officials on fighting narcotrafficking and enhancing the defense of the Panama Canal.

"The U.S. and Panama share a close partnership that is vital to advancing security and stability in the Western Hemisphere," SOUTHCOM said on social media platform X.

Donovan expressed his anticipation of meeting US service members from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group stationed in Panama.

"USS Nimitz and the guided-missile destroyer USS Gridley are powerful assets in our nation’s arsenal," he said, adding that their presence in the region is a "firm demonstration" of US commitment against cartels.

Last week, the US Naval Forces announced that the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz will deploy to the SOUTHCOM area of responsibility as part of US Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet’s Southern Seas 2026 deployment.

In 2025, the US and Panama signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperative security measures and a joint declaration on the security and operation of the Panama Canal. The agreement establishes a framework allowing US warships and support vessels to navigate the canal "first and free."

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