Accusations by the Venezuelan government of interference by Panama in their internal affairs, arising from the 2014 Venezuelan protests by Venezuelan opposition members and students against the government of Nicolás Maduro
Status
Relations restored following the election of opposition leader Juan Carlos Varela as the new Panamanian president, and both countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations
The 2014 Panama–Venezuela diplomatic crisis refers to the differences that arose between the Venezuelan government of Nicolás Maduro and the Panamanian government of Ricardo Martinelli which strained Panama–Venezuela relations, which began after a series of protests by Venezuelan students and opposition leaders that began in February 2014.[1][2] The crisis started on 5 March, when, during the celebrations for the first anniversary of the death of former president Hugo Chávez, Maduro publicly announced the breaking of diplomatic and commercial relations with Panama and accused Martinelli of being a "creeping lackey" of the United States.[3]
However, the crisis took a turn with the election of opposition leader Juan Carlos Varela as Panama's president-elect on 4 May, which prompted the Maduro government to commit to Panama in the normalization of relations.[9] With the accusations between Martinelli and Maduro having ceased, and in turn Panama's support for Venezuelan opposition groups, the consulate in Panama was reopened a few days later,[10][11] and President-elect Varela committed to the reestablishment of diplomatic and commercial relations, once he assumed power on 1 July,[12] and ratified by the vice president of Venezuela, Jorge Arreaza, who visited the presidential inauguration and ended the crisis.[13][14]
Alongside the opposition demonstrations, the government also called for marches in its favour in Caracas and other cities.[21] The Executive affirms that no guarantees have been suspended and that civil liberties are fully exercised in Venezuela.[19] The Maduro government reportedly identifies protesters and opposition leaders who, according to them, promote violence and hatred as "fascists".[22]
The demonstrations and riots left a total of 21 people dead (including government supporters, opponents, National Guard officials and others) and 261 injured, according to a report by the Attorney General's Office,[23] while the Venezuelan Penal Forum (a human rights organization linked to the opposition) reports 33 alleged cases of torture.[24] Acts of vandalism against public property have been reported during the demonstrations, which the Venezuelan government attributes to opponents, as well as the existence of armed motorized gangs or "collectives", supposedly formed by Chavismo sympathizers, who attacked opposition protesters and who have reportedly caused several deaths and assaults.[25] On 21 February, the Venezuelan government withdrew the operating permit and signal within Venezuela from the international channelsNTN24 and CNN en Español,[26][27][28][29] retracting its decision on 22 February with CNN, issuing new credentials for the journalists of the North American network.[30] He was also accused of trying to block Twitter.[31][32]
In the first days of the diplomatic dispute, the Panamanian foreign minister, Francisco Álvarez de Soto, stated that his government was "concerned about the Venezuelan situation and understands that it is an internal process but that Panama hopes for peace, tolerance and dialogue."[1]
Panama's opinion on the protests in Venezuela generated an effect where both the Venezuelan and Panamanian governments called their ambassadors for consultations, and then the Venezuelan Foreign MinisterElías Jaua accused his Panamanian counterpart of "interference in internal affairs"; the matter escalated on 21 February when President Maduro himself accused President Martinelli of being part of the Latin American right, of acting on behalf of the United States Department of State and of dividing the region.[2][33]
Martinelli responded to Maduro that he does not act under pressure from anyone and that he is not an enemy of the Venezuelan government, but that he calls for peace.[34]
On 25 February, Martinelli requested a meeting of foreign ministers at the Organization of American States (OEA) to analyse the situation in Venezuela.[35]
Cutting of diplomatic ties
On March 5, President Maduro announced during the anniversary ceremony of the death of Hugo Chávez the breaking of diplomatic and commercial relations with Panama and accused President Martinelli of being a "lowly lackey." In response to these statements by Maduro, Martinelli wrote on his Twitter account that "the decision of the Government of Venezuela is surprising.[36] Panama only yearns for this sister country to find peace and strengthen its democracy.[37]
The Panamanian government issued an official statement calling the insults uttered by President Maduro "unacceptable" and saying that the foul language is inappropriate. The statement also indicates that the Venezuelan government's measures "should not constitute a smokescreen that seeks to deny its own reality."[38]
In the same sense, the vice president of Panama, Juan Carlos Varela, pointed out that the measure of breaking relations is "absurd" and that Panama's duty is to call for dialogue and social peace.[39]
In an interview with NTN24, President Martinelli proposed that the only way to establish a national dialogue in Venezuela would be the release of leader Leopoldo Leopoldo López, and declared that López's arrest was "a very big mistake."[39] Similarly, the Panamanian government has published a statement that has been broadcast through the national media strongly reflecting the repudiation of President Maduro's statements, considering it an "attack" on Panama, the president and his government, while advocating for peace and freedom in Venezuela, echoing the military dictatorship that Panama suffered between 1968 and 1989.[40]
Venezuelan debt in the Colon Free Zone
The breakdown of relations between Panama and Venezuela brought to light a background where Venezuela maintains a business debt of around 2 billion dollars with the Colón Free Trade Zone in Panama and that its review was suspended after the breakup. This debt has had the effect of reducing or suspending sales from the free zone, falling from 30% in 2012 to 10% of total sales currently.[4]
However, Maduro stressed that President Martinelli himself was imposing " bribes" on Venezuelan businessmen, charging 20% of the invoices to finance the Panamanian electoral campaign; which the Panamanian government responded as accusations lacking truth and President Martinelli called Maduro "immature".[41]
On 11 March, the general manager of the Colon Free Trade Zone accused Venezuelan businessmen in complicity with the government of inflating the debt of the free trade zone to the detriment of the Free Trade Zone and Panamanian exporters. He added that this irregularity was already known to the Venezuelan government since October 2013, and that the fraudulent debt amounts to 937 million dollars, of which he pointed to Cadivi, the Central Bank of Venezuela and Seniat as the government components behind the action, responding that Maduro's accusations against the debt with Panama are a "lie".[42][43]
On 19 March, Panama's Minister of Commerce, Ricardo Qujano, submitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) protest notes against what he called "discriminatory measures" by Venezuela and which therefore violate international agreements, since Panama has not received any written note from the Venezuelan government regarding the breaking of trade relations. Panamanian foreign minister, Álvarez de Soto, stated that Panama will defend its commercial interests before international bodies.[44]
On April 3, at the World Economic Forum on Latin America, Martinelli harshly questioned the Venezuelan economic system, stating that it was unthinkable that a country like Venezuela "has such a huge administrative mess and that the resources of the Venezuelan people have been squandered, stolen, (that) there is not even toilet paper...".[45] Despite the break in trade, Panama ruled out any retaliatory measures against Venezuela, and announced that they would abstain from economic measures and that they would wait for the next government to be elected on 4 May to be the one in charge of it, according to the Panamanian Minister of the Presidency, Roberto Henríquez.[46]
Panama requests OAS to address protests in Venezuela
The Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) met in a closed-door session for two days on March 6 and 7 on the situation in Venezuela at the request of Panama, resulting in a large majority in continuing the process of national dialogue proposed by the Venezuelan government and ruling out a meeting between foreign ministers (proposed by Panama) and making periodic reports to the Permanent Council on the situation in Venezuela (proposed by Peru). In the final declaration, approved by 29 countries and rejected by Canada, the United States and Panama, it expresses condolences for the victims of the protests, calls for progress in investigations, calls for the rejection of violence and for respect for human rights; and also calls for "respect for the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of States."[47]
Efforts to support the Venezuelan opposition
On 10 March, the Panamanian ambassador to the OAS, Arturo Vallarino, proposed inviting Venezuelan opposition leaders to the Permanent Council session, such as legislators María Corina Machado, Henrique Capriles, Antonio Ledezma, unions and student leaders, as a way of learning about the situation in Venezuela. The Panamanian ambassador stated that this measure has the approval of President Martinelli and that they are aware of the cost that this action would entail.[6][7]
On 13 March, President Martinelli announced that he would receive Congresswoman María Corina Machado at the presidential palace in Panama City, to make Panama's request that opposition leaders be heard at the OAS,[48] which has generated reactions from the president of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Diosdado Caballero, accusing Martinelli of being a "lackey" of the United States.[49]
Later, the Panamanian ambassador to the OAS, Arturo Vallarino, declared that he would cede the Panamanian chair to Deputy Corina Machado and a delegation of students and opposition trade unionists at the next regular meeting of the OAS on 21 March, and that Panama would insist on the defence of human rights in Venezuela.[50] However, during the regular meeting where the situation in Venezuela was to be discussed, it was first decided to hold a closed-door session and then the session was cancelled with the approval of the majority of the countries, leaving Maria Corina Machado unable to speak at the event.[51][52]
The president of the National Assembly of VenezuelaDiosdado Cabello argued that Corina Machado had "self-stripped" herself of the investiture of a deputy by accepting the "alternate representation" of Panama at the OAS meeting, a fact that was ratified by the National Assembly and the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela on April 1.[53] Martinelli responded harshly to the dismissal, accusing Maduro of not respecting "democratic and civil liberties" and said that the situation in Venezuela is "chaotic and catastrophic".[45]
Accusations of interference in Panamanian elections
In parallel to the breaking of diplomatic relations, President Nicolás Maduro repeatedly mentioned the figure of the deceased Panamanian military man Omar Torrijos Herrera, naming a popular building in western Caracas after the military man, a day after the breaking of relations; calling Torrijos a "Bolivarian general".[54] Later, on 15 March, by orders of Maduro, units of the National Armed Forces would be instructed with the "thought" of Omar Torrijos and he reiterated his praise for the Panamanian military man.[55]
These actions provoked a harsh reaction from the Panamanian government on 16 March, who accused Maduro of interfering in the Panamanian electoral process of 4 May 2014, where the opposition Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), founded by Omar Torrijos, ran for president for the ruling Democratic Change of President Martinelli. In an official statement, the Panamanian government accused Maduro of having preferences for the PRD for the praise of Torrijos and demanded not to interfere in the local electoral process,[56] emphasizing foreign governments that finance Panama's opposition parties to "get their hairy hands off".[57]
On 18 March, the Presidency of Panama issued a statement in which President Martinelli accused Maduro of directly financing the campaign of PRD presidential candidate Juan Carlos Navarro, pointing to the Venezuelan president's wishes that the next elected government of Panama be "Torrijista" as proof. Martinelli added that "Maduro should be solving the problems of shortages in his country and not putting his hands in Panama".[58]
Protests by Venezuelans living in Panama
The Venezuelan community in Panama, according to official figures, is around 12 thousand people in 2012,[59] have demonstrated in favour of President Martinelli and against Maduro, with calls in parks in the Panamanian capital and other cities in the interior.[60][61][62][63] A protest was also called in front of the Cuban embassy in Panama, denouncing possible interference by the Caribbean island in Venezuela.[64]
Among other measures, the Venezuelan community sent a letter with more than 1,800 signatures on March 7 in support of President Martinelli and the Panamanian government, emphasizing that their action was "in accordance with the law" and that President Maduro "attacked" Martinelli and the Panamanian people "in a disproportionate and rude manner".[65][66]
Normalisation of relations
The first signs of easing the crisis were made by Nicolás Maduro on the night of 4 May, after the presidential elections in Panama had ended, where the vice president and opposition candidate Juan Carlos Varela, of the Panameñista Party, was chosen as president-elect, defeating the government candidate José Domingo Arias. According to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, Maduro called Varela by phone to congratulate him on the victory, and indicated that both would commit to accelerating the normalization and relaunching of diplomatic and commercial relations between Panama and Venezuela.[9]
On 19 May, the exchange of diplomatic notes and the reestablishment of relations at the consular level were announced, confirmed by Panamanian foreign minister Francisco Álvarez de Soto, and that the action to relaunch relations was proposed by the Venezuelan government.[67][68] On 27 May, the Venezuelan consulate in Panama was reopened and the process of issuing passports was restarted.[10][11]
President-elect Varela declared on 5 June that once he took office on 1 July, diplomatic and commercial relations with Venezuela would be reestablished, following an agreement reached by a delegation headed by Vice Foreign Minister-designate Luis Miguel Hincapié, who also extended an invitation to Nicolás Maduro for the presidential inauguration.[69]
The crisis formally ended with the presidential inauguration of Juan Carlos Varela on 1 July, with the presence of a Venezuelan delegation headed by Vice President Jorge Arreaza, who publicly announced on behalf of Nicolás Maduro the restoration of diplomatic and commercial relations with Panama.[13][14]
International reactions
International Organisations
Parlatino: The Latin American Parliament declared on 12 March 2014 that it would offer to mediate to re-establish diplomatic relations between Panama and Venezuela, and that according to the president of Parlatino, Venezuela had accepted this gesture.[70]
National governments
Bolivia: President Evo Morales supported the Venezuelan decision to break relations with Panama, justifying that both Panama and the United States were committing foreign interference in Venezuela and financing small groups.[71]
Costa Rica: Out of "solidarity" with the Panamanian government, Costa Rica assumed responsibility for the consular procedures of Panamanians in Venezuela during the rupture of relations.[72] The acting foreign minister, Gioconda Ubeda, declared that Costa Rica is the custodian of Panama's consular archives and properties in Venezuela.[73]
Cuba: Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla expressed his full support for the Venezuelan government in the dispute.[71]
Guatemala: President Otto Pérez Molina regretted the breakdown of relations and urged both countries to prioritize dialogue, seek agreements and resume relations.[74]
References
^ ab"Panamá preocupado por situación en Venezuela y la sigue con cautela" (in Spanish). La Patilla. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. La situación que se vive "en un país hermano" como es Venezuela "nos preocupa" y es seguida "con cautela y prudencia" por Panamá, dijo el canciller en referencia a las muertes registradas el pasado miércoles en el país suramericano en el marco de una jornada de protestas convocada por la oposición
^ abMeléndez, José (22 February 2014). "El Gobierno venezolano acusa a Panamá de injerencia". El País (in Spanish). Ediciones El País S. L. Retrieved 15 March 2014. Sin mencionar a Estados Unidos, la delegación venezolana respondió con una acusación al "imperio" de impulsar "un golpe de Estado callejero y mediático" en Venezuela
^"Venezuela rompe relaciones con Panamá" (in Spanish). BBC Mundo. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. "No vamos a permitir que nadie se meta impunemente con nuestra patria, lacayo rastrero presidente de Panamá", aseguró Maduro, quien ya había hecho referencia a la petición del presidente de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli, para convocar al Consejo Permanente de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA)
^Calvo, Gastón (13 February 2014). "Violencia en Venezuela: Maduro anunció que los que se movilicen "sin permiso" serán detenidos" (in Spanish). Infobae. Retrieved 24 February 2014. Durante toda la jornada, las imágenes de los incidentes fueron subidas a Twitter con los hashtags #12FVenezuelaPaLaCalle y #12F. Miles de usuarios no dudaron en mostrar imágenes de la violencia desatada en Caracas y en distintas localidades del país
^"Esta fue la rueda de prensa de Leopoldo López y María Corina Machado" (in Spanish). El Diario de Caracas. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. El dirigente nacional del partido Voluntad Popular, Leopoldo López, y la diputada a la Asamblea Nacional, María Corina Machado, se dirigieron al país la mañana de este jueves para convocarlos a asambleas de calle
^Gutiérrez, Miguel (13 February 2014). "López, Machado y Ledezma acusan a Maduro de "suspender garantías" y llaman a más marchas" (in Spanish). Noticiero Digital. Retrieved 24 February 2014. Dirigentes opositores acusaron hoy al presidente venezolano, Nicolás Maduro, de "suspender garantías" constitucionales y llamaron a más marchas, después de que el jefe del Ejecutivo indicara que había dado instrucciones de que se impidieran las manifestaciones sin permiso
^ ab"Movimiento Estudiantil expone motivos de su protesta" (in Spanish). El Nacional. 18 February 2014. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. En el Día de la Juventud, aniversario glorioso para todos los estudiantes venezolanos, elevamos el volumen de nuestra protesta; varios compañeros dieron la vida por ello. […] Siendo de esta naturaleza nuestros objetivos, el Movimiento Estudiantil considera como primer paso la renuncia de Nicolás Maduro y todo su gabinete. De la misma forma, nuestro Estado no puede continuar bajo la dirección del castro comunismo: exigimos la inmediata expulsión de todos los agentes cubanos de nuestras instituciones
^"Presidente Maduro llama a aislar grupos fascistas que promueven odio y violencia" (in Spanish). Agencia Venezolana de Noticias. 8 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014. El presidente de la República, Nicolás Maduro, llamó al pueblo revolucionario aislar a aquellos grupos que promueven odio, intolerancia y violencia. Asimismo, felicitó al pueblo del estado Táchira por su masiva participación en la Caminata por la Paz y la Vida que se realiza en la capital de la entidad, donde este jueves se registró unos hechos de violencia
^"Muere militar en protesta en Venezuela; van 18 muertos" (in Spanish). El Universal. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2014. Ortega Díaz confirmó que en la víspera falleció un joven en Carabobo tras recibir un disparo de arma de fuego cuando estaba limpiando una calle repleta de desechos de las barricadas, con la muerte del guardia nacional y el joven en Carabobo se elevan a 18 los fallecidos por las protestas callejeras.
^""Tenemos 33 casos de tortura documentados"" (in Spanish). El Nacional. 28 February 2014. Archived from the original on 4 March 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2014. El abogado Gonzalo Himiob, directivo del Foro Penal Venezolano, explicó que las torturas cometidas por cuerpos de seguridad del Estado en perjuicio de los participantes de las protestas de febrero constan en las actas judiciales de cada caso: "33 víctimas denunciaron formalmente ante fiscales y jueces los atropellos a los cuales fueron sometidos"
^"Motorizados atacaron a balazos a los estudiantes opositores: hay 3 muertos y 23 heridos" (in Spanish). Infobae. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. El periodista Ángel Villarroel Lara, […] denunció en Twitter que colectivos pertenecientes al oficialismo lanzaron abrieron fuego al aire, mientras que la policía disparó perdigones contra las personas que se encontraban frente a la Fiscalía
^Janiot, Patricia (21 February 2014). "Gobierno de Venezuela revoca las credenciales a periodistas de CNN en Español" (in Spanish). Cable News Network. Retrieved 24 February 2014. El gobierno de Venezuela revocó o denegó las credenciales de periodista a los reporteros de CNN en el país después de que el presidente Nicolás Maduro anunciara que expulsaría a CNN si no "rectificaba" su cobertura de las protestas antigubernamentales
^"Maduro: Sacar del aire a NTN24 fue decisión de Estado" (in Spanish). El Universal. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014. El presidente de la República, Nicolás Maduro, aseguró que la decisión de sacar al canal de noticias NTN24 de los canales que ofrecen las cableras DirecTV y Movistar fue una decisión de Estado
^"Venezuela: sacaron del aire al canal colombiano NTN 24" (in Spanish). La Nación S. A. 13 February 2014. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014. "Confirmado; DirecTV ha removido la señal de NTN24 en Venezuela", escribió Bilancieri en otro mensaje de su cuenta de Twitter @Bilancieri. E informó que Movistar también retiró la señal del canal de su lista. "Me confirman que Movistar nos ha retirado de su parrilla de canales", escribió
^"Sacan del aire al canal internacional NTN24 en Venezuela" (in Spanish). Diario de CCS, LLC. 12 February 2013. Archived from the original on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014. La periodista de NTN24, Idania Chirinos confirmó que la señal del canal habría sido sacada del aire en las cableras venezolanas
^"Maduro dice ahora que CNN puede quedarse en Venezuela" (in Spanish). Cable News Network. 22 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. Durante una conferencia de prensa transmitida por la televisión estatal, Maduro dio marcha atrás diciendo que CNN podía quedarse. [...] Tras más de dos horas de rueda de prensa, autoridades venezolanas comunicaron a CNN que se emitirían credenciales para que sus periodistas puedan reportar en el país
^"Twitter denuncia el bloqueo de mensajes en Venezuela y la operadora estatal lo niega" (in Spanish). Lainformacion.com. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. La red social Twitter ha denunciado este viernes el bloqueo de mensajes en Venezuela, tal y como habían asegurado usuarios y activistas el jueves, con motivo de las protestas estudiantiles, algo que la Compañía Anónima Teléfonos de Venezuela (Cantv) niega y atribuye a fallos internos de la red social
^"Empresa pública de telecomunicaciones niega bloqueo de Twitter en Venezuela" (in Spanish). Miami Herald Media Company. 15 February 2014. Archived from the original on 27 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2014. La estatal Compañía Anónima Nacional Teléfonos de Venezuela (Cantv) negó hoy categóricamente haber bloqueado imágenes en la red social Twitter como habían reportado usuarios de esa red social y confirmado un portavoz de la compañía estadounidense
^González, Carlos H. (21 February 2014). "Maduro: "Martinelli, Santos y Piñera quieren dividir a la región"" (in Spanish). Grupo Editorial El Siglo y La Estrella. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. El presidente venezolano Nicolás Maduro cuestionó en conferencia de prensa a los presidentes de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli; de Chile, Sebastián Piñera y de Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, por emitir comentarios que se inmiscuyen en los asuntos internos de Venezuela. Maduro calificó la posición de estos tres mandatarios como de "derecha y de unirse en una campaña internacional para dividir a la región"
^González, Carlos H. (21 February 2014). "Martinelli le responde a Maduro que él no actúa por presiones" (in Spanish). Grupo Editorial El Siglo y La Estrella. Archived from the original on 3 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. El Presidente Martinelli a través de su cuenta de Twitter, aseguró: "Panamá ni su Presidente actúan por presiones. No somos enemigos del pueblo o Gobierno venezolano; solo queremos ayudarlos a encontrar la paz"
^"Panamá solicita a OEA convocar reunión para analizar situación en Venezuela" (in Spanish). MEDCOM Panamá. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. En una nota enviada a la Organización de Estados Americanos, el Gobierno de Panamá ha solicitado convocar a una reunión de cancilleres de los países miembros para analizar la situación de Venezuela
^"Venezuela rompe relaciones con Panamá" (in Spanish). London, Reino Unido: BBC Mundo. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 15 March 2014. "No vamos a permitir que nadie se meta impunemente con nuestra patria, lacayo rastrero presidente de Panamá", aseguró Maduro, quien ya había hecho referencia a la petición del presidente de Panamá, Ricardo Martinelli, para convocar al Consejo Permanente de la Organización de Estados Americanos (OEA)