Multinational
Military Exercise Begins
in Panama
Panama - The
multinational military exercise PANAMAX 2009
centered on the Panama Canal defense began
Friday with the participation of troops from
20 countries.
The 11-day exercise this year will simulate
a terrorist threat in the Panama Canal, said
Gerald W. Ketchum, U.S. Operation,
Preparation and Mobilization sub-director
from the Southern Command.
The principal aim of PANAMAX is to work
together for the Canal's needs because there
are threats in the region need collective
efforts, he said
The exercise, sponsored by the U.S. Southern
Command since 2003, is held every year.
Panamanian Task Forces chief,
sub-commissioner from the Aero-naval
National Service (SNA), Osvaldo Urena said
at a press conference that this year they
will use a mini submarine to simulate the
interception of a load with explosives or
drugs.
The multinational military exercise will
take place from the entrance points of the
Panama Canal in the Atlantic and the
Pacific, Urena said.
Military and security forces from Argentina,
Brazil, Belize, Canada, Chile, Colombia,
Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El
Salvador, Guatemala, the Netherlands,
Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the
United States and Uruguay will participate
in the exercise. Mexico and France are
observers.
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