Panama Withdraws Ambassador to Venezuela

Thursday, April 5th, 2018 the Panamanian government announced they would move to remove the country’s ambassador from Venezuela

Panama has also asked that the country of Venezuela withdraw its ambassador from Panama. 

The move, which reflects tensions between the two countries comes after Panama included the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, on a list of “high risk" Venezuelan nationals suspected of money laundering.

In Thursday’s statement, Panama said the move was in response to a halt in commercial relations. A decision made by Venezuela to stop business with Panamanian officials and companies, like Copa Airlines and the President, Juan Carlos Varela, also for alleged involvement in money laundering.

The statement did not offer a date of when the Panamanian Ambassador to Venezuela, Miguel Mejia, would leave his post. Nor did it offer a deadline by which Venezuelan Ambassador to Panama, Jorge Duran Centeno, should withdraw from Panama.