Cuba USA

Panamax 2015 military exercises

by: Marco A. Gandásegui
translation Cuba - Network in Defense of Humanity

In Panama it has become common of the press to practice censure. To date the mass media block all news about the strike of 1 700 workers of the National Brewery. Also early this month it did not inform of the Panamax 2015 exercises organized by the US Southern Command “to defend the Panama Canal”. The Southern Command invited 19 armed forces from those countries to join against “common threats” and to know each other better. Of the 19 participants, Panama was invited.

According to the military chief of a Latin American country “the purpose of these exercises is to develop operations of our units and have the opportunity to confront any regional threat”. Obviously the chief referred to maneuvers of its counterparts of the Southern Command. “To work together and prevent actions that threaten maritime security and to prevent free navigation and destabilize the region”.

At the time the chiefs of the Southern Command of the US identified “Panamanian campesinos and native peoples as enemies to combat. Are they thinking of using the armies of some Latin American countries to attack those protesting in Panama? Create in Panama another occupied Haiti by foreign troops?

The Chief of the US Southern Command was explicit and pointed out that at the end of this exercise “relations would have been established and mutual understanding achieved. They will be useful if we need to establish a joint force of coalition in case of a real event”. Panamax 2015 was organized by the United States from July 27 to August 7 with the participation of 15 Latin American countries: Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Jamaica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic. Also participating were troops from Canada, France and the United Kingdom. The US did not invite Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador or Venezuela.

The Panamanian government did not participate in the organization of the military exercises although it was the purpose of the strategies and operations of the exercise. The US is training and maintaining an operative level of two divisions in Panama. On the one hand, the National Services of Borders (SENAFRONT) and on the other the National Naval Service (SENAN). Washington develops these plans although the Constitution of Panama prohibits organizations of armed forces in the country. The governments of the United States and Panama ignore this mandate.

According to an article published by a military journalist in the US, Alex Sanchez, the Panamax exercises were done to prevent actions of the “Mexican cartels” or “Colombian guerrillas”. There is also the possibility of a “multi national action to retake control of the Panama Canal in case of a similar situation as the one in the Suez Canal in 1956 (sic). He added that they had to be “prepared to confront an authoritarian government like that of General Manuel Noriega to take power”. The scenarios are in the style of Hollywood, Sanchez said. But the United States always has to be prepared to invade Panama again.

It is unfortunate the journalists write without knowing history and at least the situations of Latin America and, very especially, of Panama.

Rear Admiral Jon Mathenson, deputy commander of the navy of the Southern Command and of the 4th Fleet of the US insisted that the PANAMAX exercises “are designed to respond in case of a request by the host country”. He also explained that if there is a threat by “transnational organized crime”. He pointed out that military exercises are done “to promote peace, stability and prosperity”. The Panamanian authorities - including the Ministry of Public Security – made no comment about the military exercises.

The exercises of last year – 2014 – of the Southern Command created a fantastic scenario to develop the Panamax exercises. They created a nation – “Nueva Centralia” – that was under attack. According to reports “a violent group of terrorists threatened world trade. The solution to the problem depended on the Multinational Forces of the South under the command of the US Southern Command”. To complete this fantasy the Southern Command invited military forces of the region to protect the Panama Canal and “honor the efforts of Panama to protect its sovereignty”.

The US still does not understand that only we Panamanians will defend our sovereignty. It is a lesson we have learned and applied in the 20th century.

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