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US Can Affirm Panama’s Sovereignty and Forbid CCP Influence Simultaneously

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US Can Affirm Panama’s Sovereignty and Forbid CCP Influence Simultaneously
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino looks on as U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (R) signs a bilateral agreement, in Panama City on April 9, 2025. Franco Brana/AFP via Getty Images
Anders Corr
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Commentary

The Department of Defense hailed a historic set of agreements on April 11 that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth negotiated with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino. The agreements provide enhanced U.S. military access to Panamanian bases, “free and first” access for U.S. naval ships through the Panama Canal, and increased military training between U.S. and Panamanian forces.

Anders Corr
Anders Corr
Author
Anders Corr has a bachelor's/master's in political science from Yale University (2001) and a doctorate in government from Harvard University (2008). He is a principal at Corr Analytics Inc. and publisher of the Journal of Political Risk, and has conducted extensive research in North America, Europe, and Asia. His latest books are “The Concentration of Power: Institutionalization, Hierarchy, and Hegemony” (2021) and “Great Powers, Grand Strategies: the New Game in the South China Sea" (2018).
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