Panama opposition party accuses US of 'camouflaged invasion'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sat 12 Apr 2025 05.00 EDT
Last modified on Sat 12 Apr 2025 05.32 EDT


Panamanian opposition politicians have accused the US of launching a “camouflaged invasion” of the country, amid simmering discontent over the government’s handling of the diplomatic crisis.

After a three-day visit by the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump appeared to confirm that US military personnel had been deployed to the Central American country on Thursday, telling reporters: “We’ve moved a lot of troops to Panama.” Hegseth said that the US would increase its military presence at three former US bases in the country to “secure the Panama canal from Chinese influence”.

The last US military bases in Panama were vacated in 1999 as a condition of the 1977 Torrijos-Carter treaties to hand the canal to Panamanian ownership. Under the canal’s neutrality treaty, no foreign power can “maintain military forces, defense sites and military installations within its national territory”, and the US comments have prompted outrage in Panama.

“This is a camouflaged invasion,” said Ricardo Lombana, the leader of the opposition Other Way Movement. “An invasion without firing a shot, but with a cudgel and threats.”

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/12/panama-hegseth-us-invasion-canal

[Scrivener7]

1. And they're right.

[twodogsbarking]

2. Except for the camouflage part.

[PATRICK]

3. Greenland would be easy

and we already have the right to move troops in there. I wonder how empire building fits on his schedule of enriching plutocracy?

[slightlv]

4. They're right, for all the good that would do them.

It's about time one of these countries starts moving in their troops into the United States. Let der leader see what an invasion actually looks like, when it comes from all sides. I, for one, would welcome our liberators.