The recent PANAMAX military exercise have boosted the security of the Panama Canal against potential threats, U.S. and Panamanian officials said Friday.

The PANAMAX 2010 exercise allowed training of some 2,000 troops from 18 participating countries to face the threats of the 21st century such as illegal trafficking, drug trafficking, terrorism and natural disasters, a U.S. official said.

Argentina, Brazil, Belize, Canada, Colombia, Chile, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Panama, Uruguay and the United States participated in this year’s PANAMAX exercise. Germany took part as an observer.

From Xinhua News Agency