The U.S. on Track to Strengthen Its Military Presence in Latin America
U.S. military aircraft. X/ @federicrodz
December 14, 2024 Hour: 12:15 pm
Currently, it has military bases in Caribbean countries such as Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda, Curaçao, and Puerto Rico.
At the end of November, Panamanian labor unions and Latin American media raised concerns that the United States is increasing its military presence in the region, using Panama as a strategic operations base.
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Specifically, the National Workers’ Center of Panama (CNTP) publicly denounced the presence of U.S. military aircraft stationed at Howard Airport, located on the outskirts of Panama City. Subsequently, the Cuban outlet Prensa Latina confirmed the deployment of C-17 Globemaster III planes, Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, and Bell UH-1H helicopters at Panama Pacifico International Airport.
“Intelligence sources indicate that a fleet of U.S. Air Force (USAF) military aircraft recently made a stop in Panama, allegedly en route to Brazil to participate in the joint exercise CRUZEX. However, several of these aircraft were observed conducting flights over Panamanian territory. Among them were several F-15 C Eagle fighter jets,” reported the outlet Resumen Latinoamericano.
“For years, Howard Base has operated under the guise of a regional humanitarian aid supply center for various agencies. American aircraft conduct suspicious flights over Panamanian territory toward the Darién region under the pretext of ‘delivering humanitarian aid’ with helicopters, C-17 planes, and Globemaster III aircraft,” it added.
According to geopolitical analyst Savin, the military deployment coincides with the ongoing legal dispute involving Minera Panama and contradicts the perspective of a “zone of peace” declared by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States.
He also highlighted that the U.S. has military bases in El Salvador, Guantánamo (Cuba), Aruba, Curaçao, Antigua and Barbuda, and Costa Rica. In Puerto Rico alone, Washington maintains several strategic facilities such as Ramey Base in Aguadilla, the Domenech Army Reserve Center in San Juan, and the Army Reserve in Ponce.
While the U.S. expands its military presence, some Latin American countries are seeking to strengthen their geopolitical independence through projects such as the Chancay Port (Peru) and the construction of the Interoceanic Canal (Nicaragua), initiatives aimed at integrating into China’s “Belt and Road” strategy.
Savin suggests that the geopolitical future is shaping up to be complex under the next Trump administration, given the potential appointment of Marco Rubio as Secretary of State—a figure known for his hardline stance against Latin American governments.
teleSUR/ JF Sources: PL – Resumen Latinoamericano