U.S. Carrier in Panama: Multinational Maritime Drills

0:00It's April 1st. Welcome to Global News Today, powered by AI, I'm Corey with the story. US Navy's massive USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and the destroyer USS Gridley just pulled into Panamanian waters for multinational maritime drills. This march the first time in over 50 years a US carrier has visited here, docking in the Gulf of Panama on Monday while the Gridley anchored the day before in Panama City. These ships are kicking off Southern Seas 2026 exercises, teaming up with navies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Uruguay. Expect sea ops, expert swaps and port calls in Brazil, Chile, and Jamaica to boost regional teamwork. The US Embassy calls it a sign of rock solid ties with Panama, an ambassador Kevin Moreno Cabrera, stressed joint efforts against narco trafficking, and organized crime threatening the canal. Panama Security Minister Frank Obrego says the drills don't lock the country into any

1:04special commitments. Officials note the Nimitz is too big to squeeze through the Panama Canal locks, so it'll stay on the Pacific side. The US Fourth Fleet Commander highlights how this builds better ops across partner forces. Ships stick around until April 2nd, underscoring shared security in these vital waters as exercises roll on.