Panama Canal will not block Venezuela vessels despite U.S. sanctions, uk.reuters.com

The Panama Canal will continue authorizing vessels coming from Venezuela provided they present the necessary paperwork, the waterway’s chief said on Wednesday, suggesting a new round of U.S. sanctions on the South American nation should not make a difference to canal traffic.

President Donald Trump’s administration last week issued an executive order freezing all Venezuelan government assets in the United States. Shortly after, U.S. officials ratcheted up threats against companies that do business with Venezuela. […]

Panama Canal Authority chief Jorge Quijano told reporters that the waterway authorities should not submit to pressure from third countries on the issue of whether or not vessels could use the canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. […]

“We are signatories to a treaty of neutrality, also signed by the United States,” he said. “We have to continue with that commitment as long as they follow the rules of the game, and the rules of the game are that it’s an innocent passage.” Läs artikel