Panama Canal will not block Venezuela vessels despite U.S. sanctions

[Judi Lynn]

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 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.

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 Maduro’s 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&

[Buzz cook]

1. Freedom of the ses baby

Mare Liberum. Remember when the USA stood for that principle?

[RockRaven]

2. Impotent Mushroom is making the US look weak.

Whether or not he's doing it on purpose or by incompetence, he IS doing it. Blustering threats which people ignore diminishes our influence going forward.