“”One of the bases will be located in Bahia Pina...450 kilometers [280 miles] east of the capital, Panama City, and another one - in Punta Coca about 350 km [217 miles] west of the capital,””
wow these guys are going to be far far from any urban reality.
I kept thinking Howard might be re-leased by USAF with the imminent closing of Manta, but there is considerable civilian construction there now (a huge terminal facility, for one thing) and I guess it is going to be civilian-only. The flight-line and the main area of the base (including associated housing behind the tdy qtrs/church) has been mostly unused since turnover.
Pinas is the location of Tropic Star Lodge. I know one of the owners. He played a key role in the rescue of Kurt Muse during Just Cause.
The revision to this story is that the Panamanians are building bases for their own Maritime units. It might be that US ships come in for supplies or something, but as for a US flag down here, I don’t think so.