Panama accused of fraudulent claims against Venezuela

THE WAR OF WORDS between Venezuela and Panama, unleashed by President Ricardo Martinelli’s iOAS gamble moved towards boiling point with allegations that Panama’s billion dpllar debt claim is fraudulent.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua made the statement, Sunday, March 8 ,and said the authorities would initiate criminal proceedings against local entrepreneurs involved in the operations .

Amid the tensions between Venezuela and Panama after the breakdown of relationships, Jaua said that Panama tried to "embezzle" the Venezuelan government" over merchandise that never left Panama and intends to charge that as a dollar debt” .
" “What we found there is really rotten , 90 % (of the debt  is fraudulent " said Jaua
"So, as part of this, we finally suspended the (debt) review and instead will start criminal investigations against Venezuelan businessmen, and wil apply to the Panamanian authorities to investigate this case ," said Jaua in an interview broadcast Sunday on private channel Televen .
Jaua reiterated the criticisms against President , Ricardo Martinelli , saying that long ago Caracas had notified Panama that some entrepreneurs had informed them they were " being charged commission in Panama from sectors of the Panamanian government "in exchange for a review of their cases of outstanding import debts.”Jau said that when traders asked for commissions they said they spoke for the president himself “Now we're going to stop this (debt review) until there is a serious government we can further evaluate the fraudulent nature of a large percentage of that debt exists,".
Jaua reiterated the criticisms against President, Ricardo Martinelli , saying that long ago Caracas had notified Panama that some entrepreneurs had informed them they were " being charged commission in Panama from sectors of the Panamanian government " in exchange for a review of their cases of outstanding import debts. Jau said that when traders asked for commissions they spoke for the president himself.
Now we 're going to stop this ( debt review) until there is a serious government when we can further evaluate the fraudulent nature of a large percentage of the debt that exists," he said .
Martinelli said Friday he expects the decision to his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, to break diplomatic relations between the two countries was an excuse for evading commitments to Panamanian businessmen.