The US military carried out small-scale survival and jungle combat drills on Panama’s Caribbean coast Wednesday, as Washington amassed a vast naval presence off Venezuela.

Under a scorching sun, about a dozen US Marines armed with assault rifles simulated storming a bunker at the former US Fort Sherman base near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal.

The facilities now serve as a training ground for US Marines and Panamanian police under a cooperation program launched in August.

Panama said about 50 US Marines would train from October 9 to 29 in its jungle to improve their skills “in one of the most demanding environments.”

“This training is purely aimed at our defense and protection” to fight “organized crime and drug trafficking,” Panamanian Major Didier Santamaria told AFP.

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