{"id":18024,"date":"2026-10-16T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/?p=18024"},"modified":"2026-10-15T13:32:58","modified_gmt":"2026-10-15T18:32:58","slug":"no-troops-on-the-ground-us-embassy-denies-report-of-600-soldier-deployment-in-panama","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/expat-times.com\/panama\/news\/no-troops-on-the-ground-us-embassy-denies-report-of-600-soldier-deployment-in-panama\/","title":{"rendered":"No Troops on the Ground! US Embassy Denies Report of 600-Soldier Deployment in Panama"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The United States Embassy in Panama has categorically rejected reports of a massive troop deployment Panama operation involving 600 American soldiers, stating the actual figure is far smaller and tied to a routine jungle training exercise<\/a>. The denial came Tuesday after The New York Times reported that elements of the 10th Mountain Division<\/a> were being sent to a Panamanian training center as part of an expanded counter-narcotics push<\/a> in Latin America<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Marino Cabrera, the US ambassador to Panama, said the embassy was not consulted before the report was published and described the characterization of the military movement as “categorically false.” The diplomatic mission<\/a> clarified that only 120 personnel from the Fort Drum-based division<\/a> are currently in the country for a two-week jungle operations course at the invitation of the Panamanian government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Officials from the US Embassy stressed that the exercise is part of longstanding bilateral cooperation and does not signal a permanent deployment or change to Panama\u2019s security arrangements amid scrutiny of American military activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"US
US troops<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Actual Troop Deployment Panama Numbers and Training Scope<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The military personnel currently in Panama are scheduled to conclude their training on October 25, after which they will return to Fort Drum, New York, according to the embassy’s official statement. The jungle operations training center has operated for more than a year as a school officially recognized by the US Army, with instructors and staff from both the United States and Panama participating in its programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The embassy emphasized that American service members leave the country once their training courses are completed. Additional US troops are participating in separate regional exercises, including the Southern Vanguard drill planned for Peru, which officials described as part of standard bilateral cooperation between Washington and its regional partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 La Embajada de EE. UU. en Panam\u00e1 neg\u00f3 el env\u00edo de 600 soldados y aclar\u00f3 que 120 militares participan en un entrenamiento selv\u00e1tico de dos semanas, coordinado con Panam\u00e1, y regresar\u00e1n a sus unidades el 25 de octubre. La aclaraci\u00f3n responde a un informe de The New York Times sobre un posible despliegue mayor y operaciones regionales contra el narcotr\u00e1fico.\n\nhttps:\/\/t.co\/rOGnF08TBD<\/p>— Forbes Centroam\u00e9rica (@Forbes_CA) October 15, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n