The World : No U.S.-Panama Exercises

Panamanian President Eric A. Delvalle said his country will not be holding joint military exercises in January with the United States. He said that relations between Washington and Panama City have “heated up” this year and “therefore it’s better this way.” Delvalle said the U.S. government made the decision unilaterally to put off the exercises. The U.S. action followed the National Assembly’s approval of a resolution asking the government to suspend visas of U.S. military personnel and urging the start of talks to remove the U.S. Southern Command--headquarters of U.S. military operations in Latin America--from Panama.