PANAMAX 2026: 21 Nations, 1,700 Troops Begin Panama Canal Security Exercises

PANAMAX 2026, an 11-day multinational military exercise, began August 3, 2026, bringing roughly 1,700 uniformed personnel from 21 countries — including the US, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay, and several European and Caribbean states — to Panama for simultaneous maritime, land, and air drills focused on 'protecting the strategic shipping route and critical infrastructure' of the Panama Canal, which handles 3–5% of global trade. Panama's government barred any permanent foreign bases or live-fire drills, with all foreign personnel scheduled to depart by mid-August. The exercise follows a July 13–18 US-Panama drill (PANAMAX-Alpha Phase I) and an agreement letting US forces operate from three former US bases, amid mounting US concern over Chinese infrastructure investment near the canal.