11 countries to participate in Panama Canal defense drills
Eleven countries will participate in the defense and protection
exercises of the Panama Canal (Panamax) scheduled for August, the
National Maritime Service (SMN) of Panama announced here on Monday.
The exercises consist of joint operations for the standardization of
international procedures in the area of maritime interdiction, security,
communications, rules of confrontation, command, control, coordination
and cooperation of a multinational force in the situation when the Canal
faces any threat.
Panamax, which took place for the first time in 2003, will be carried
out this year in the open sea in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and in
the territorial sea of Panama.
Canada, Mexico, Honduras and Ecuador will join Chile, Argentina, Peru,
Colombia, the Dominican Republic, the United States and Panama. Each
country will provide two vessels, while some of the participants will
even contribute aircraft.
Panama's SMN, which is in charge of organizing, planning and carrying
out the operation, estimates that 500 sailors will participate in this
year's drills.
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