Panama Canal will not block Venezuela vessels despite U.S. sanctions
AUGUST 14, 2019 / 12:41 PM / UPDATED 10 HOURS AGO
Elida Moreno
3 MIN READ
PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - The Panama Canal will continue authorizing vessels coming from Venezuela provided they present the necessary paperwork, the waterways 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 Trumps 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.
The measure did not explicitly place sanctions on non-U.S. firms linked to Venezuela. But it threatened to freeze the U.S. assets of any person or company determined to have materially assisted President Nicolas Maduros government.
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.
More:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-panamacanal-venezuela/panama-canal-will-not-block-venezuela-vessels-despite-u-s-sanctions-idUKKCN1V41WK?rpc=401&