U.S. and Panama discussed expanding security cooperation against narcotrafficking and transnational crime

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Documented records of the discussion and any follow-on agreements, taskings, or statements describing specific cooperative measures.

Source summary

Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha Vasquez on January 13, 2026, praising Panama’s partnership and discussing ways to deepen cooperation. They focused on expanded security cooperation to address shared threats like narcotrafficking and transnational crime, welcomed Panama’s measures to protect critical infrastructure, and expressed interest in collaborating on regional efforts to promote stability in Venezuela. The readout is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

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Latest fact check

The State Department readout of Secretary Rubio’s January 13, 2026 meeting with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha states explicitly that they "discussed opportunities to deepen collaboration on issues of mutual concern, including our expanded security cooperation to combat shared threats, such as narcotrafficking and transnational crime." The Department of State readout is a primary source for the meeting content and is corroborated by official multimedia from the Department (video of the meeting). Verdict: True — primary U.S. government sources confirm the statement exactly as quoted.

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Timeline

Update · Jan 14, 2026, 12:55 AMTrue
The State Department readout of Secretary Rubio’s January 13, 2026 meeting with Panamanian Foreign Minister Javier Martínez-Acha states explicitly that they "discussed opportunities to deepen collaboration on issues of mutual concern, including our expanded security cooperation to combat shared threats, such as narcotrafficking and transnational crime." The Department of State readout is a primary source for the meeting content and is corroborated by official multimedia from the Department (video of the meeting). Verdict: True — primary U.S. government sources confirm the statement exactly as quoted.
- https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/01/secretary-rubios-meeting-with-panamanian-foreign-minister-martinez-acha
- https://www.dvidshub.net/video/992845/secretary-rubio-meets-with-panamanian-foreign-minister-javier-martinez-acha
Original article · Jan 13, 2026
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