Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino has categorically rejected assertions by former US National Security Advisor John Bolton that his government requested a military deployment Panama operation targeting the Darién Gap. The denial came swiftly after Bolton’s interview with Spanish newspaper El País circulated on Sunday, reigniting debate over bilateral security cooperation.
Bolton claimed Mulino, early in his term, invited American forces to help stem mass migration through the dense jungle separating Colombia and Panama. Mulino fired back on X, dismissing the account as false and reckless. The Darién border was closed, he insisted, through Panama’s own efforts without ever requesting foreign troops.
Bolton’s Account of Military Deployment Panama Request
Speaking to El País about Donald Trump’s first months back in office, Bolton described the Panama situation as a key absurd episodes. He asserted that Mulino had asked for US soldiers to deploy in the Darién Gap before Trump began threatening to seize the Panama Canal.
Bolton framed the alleged request as historic, noting it would have marked the first time a Panamanian government invited American forces into the country since 1999. That was the year US troops withdrew following the handover of the Canal. Bolton added that Trump’s talk of taking the Canal by force derailed any such arrangement, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio later calmed tensions during his Latin America tour.
‘What has happened in Panama has been a key absurd things of his first four months in office’ [Translated from Spanish]
Bolton served 18 months as Trump’s national security advisor before resigning on poor terms. He previously served as George W. Bush’s ambassador to the United Nations.
Mulino’s Direct Rebuttal and Border Strategy
Mulino did not delay his response. He took to social media to directly contradict Bolton’s characterization of events. The president stressed that Panama closed the Darién route through integrated national effort and determination.
‘I deny as false and reckless the statements by former US National Security Advisor John Bolton, reported by El País, suggesting my government requested American presence in Darién during the migration crisis’ [Translated from Spanish]
He added that Darién no longer faces that problem, something he has demonstrated with clear evidence before the United States and the world. The sharp exchange highlights lingering sensitivities around foreign military presence in Panama, a country where sovereignty over the Canal remains a defining national issue.
Existing Security Agreements and Military Cooperation
Despite the dispute over Bolton’s specific claim, Panama and the United States have signed several accords this year. These cover cybersecurity, Canal transit, and a memorandum of understanding on security matters. That memorandum contemplates the entry of US troops and rehabilitation of defense sites at former military bases Sherman, Howard, and Rodman.
The agreements suggest a nuanced relationship. Mulino rejects any suggestion that Panama sought American forces during the migration emergency, yet his government has pursued structured cooperation with Washington on security infrastructure. The former bases named in the memorandum were returned to Panama decades ago and have remained largely underutilized since.
Bolton’s remarks arrive as Trump continues to voice interest in the Panama Canal, a stance that has drawn firm opposition from Panamanian officials. Mulino has repeatedly affirmed Panamanian sovereignty over the waterway while maintaining diplomatic engagement with Washington. The latest exchange underscores how historical memory of US military presence continues to shape political discourse in Panama, even as practical security collaboration advances through formal channels.