Panama Canal Administrator hosts U.S. Secretary of Defense Hegseth during official visit

The U.S. Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, visited the Panama Canal during his official trip to the Republic of Panama. Additionally, Hegseth will participate in the Central American Security Conference (Centsec, 2025), also hosted by Panama.

Secretary Hegseth, accompanied by Admiral Alvin Holsey, Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, along with the rest of his delegation, was welcomed at Miraflores Locks by the Panama Canal Administrator, Ricaurte Vasquez Morales. Together they discussed topics related to the safe and efficient operation of the Panama Canal.

During his visit, the senior U.S. official was able to closely observe the Canal operations at the Miraflores Locks.

Taking advantage of the occasion, the Canal Administrator made available to Secretary Hegseth guide Dazzell Marshall, who has 30 years of service at the Panama Canal and is familiar with all the intricacies of the Canal operation.

Ultimately, the visit underscored the importance of the Panama Canal as an important trade engine in the relationship between the United States and Panama. By the end of fiscal year 2024, 52% of transits through the waterway were sailing from or to the United States.

Furthermore, as much as 76% of the cargo that transited the Canal during that fiscal year had the United States as a destination or origin country, and more than three-quarters of such cargo used the Neopanamax Locks.