Panama City

Lore & Background

In *Command and Control*, Panama City is the focal point of a coup orchestrated by economic adviser Felix Moncada with the shadow group Camarilla and assassin Sabine Gorshkova. The city's presidential palace, Palacio de las Garzas, is bombed, killing President Botero. Vice President Lionel Carré guides President Ryan through a secret tunnel, where they meet Major Gabriella Canto of the National Police of Panama. Commissioner Javier Guerra, secretly part of the coup, hunts them with Camarilla operatives disguised as palace guards. Meanwhile, at the Cocoli Locks on the southern approach to the Panama Canal, Camarilla operative Ian Doyle detonates the Chinese container ship *Jian Long*, allowing Russian warships *Admiral Chabanenko* and *Ivan Gren* to reverse course toward Panama City to land troops. Director of National Intelligence Mary Pat Foley is ambushed on her way to the U.S. embassy and forced to retreat to the Metropolitan Natural Park. The coup ends when Canto and her deputy Alfredo Perez subdue Guerra in the tunnel, and the Campus team rescues Foley and kills Sabine. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter *Munro* forces the Russian ships to stand down, and Carré succeeds Botero as president.

In Their Own Story

The rain-slicked streets of Panama City echoed with the crack of explosions as President Jack Ryan ducked into a secret tunnel beneath the Palacio de las Garzas. Vice President Carré led the way, his flashlight cutting through the dark. Behind them, the palace guards—Camarilla operatives in disguise—closed in. Major Gabriella Canto emerged from the shadows, her pistol drawn. 'This way, Mr. President,' she said, her voice steady. Above, the Cocoli Locks burned as the *Jian Long* exploded, and Russian warships turned toward the city. In the Metropolitan Natural Park, Mary Pat Foley crouched behind a fallen log, her Secret Service detail returning fire against Sabine's assassins. The fate of Panama City hung on a knife's edge.

Reader's Guide

Panama City is the capital of Panama and the primary setting for the coup in *Command and Control*. Key locations include the Palacio de las Garzas (presidential palace), the Cocoli Locks on the Panama Canal, and the Metropolitan Natural Park. The city is in the midst of a workers' strike when President Ryan arrives. The National Police of Panama, led by Major Gabriella Canto, plays a crucial role in thwarting the coup, while Commissioner Javier Guerra is revealed as a traitor. The Panama Canal is a strategic asset: the detonation of the *Jian Long* at the Cocoli Locks allows Russian warships to reverse course and head for Panama City to support the coup. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter *Munro* ultimately forces the Russian ships to stand down. The city's political structure shifts when Vice President Carré succeeds Botero after the coup's failure.

Did You Know?

• The coup in Panama City is orchestrated by economic adviser Felix Moncada with the shadow group Camarilla.
• President Botero is killed by explosions outside the Palacio de las Garzas during Ryan's visit.
• The Chinese container ship *Jian Long* is detonated at the Cocoli Locks to allow Russian warships to reverse course toward Panama City.
• Major Gabriella Canto of the National Police of Panama helps President Ryan escape through a secret tunnel.
• The U.S. Coast Guard cutter *Munro* forces the Russian destroyer *Admiral Chabanenko* and landing vessel *Ivan Gren* to stand down.