Panama grants asylum to Venezuela judges
PANAMA has granted political asylum to two judges of Venezuela’s Supreme Court said The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, August 4.
A Ministry statement says: “in recent days the Deputy Magistrate and Attorney General, Gustavo Sosa Izaguirre, and the Deputy Magistrate of the Political-Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice, Manuel Antonio Espinoza Melet, entered the residence and diplomatic mission of Panama in Venezuela, respectively, requesting protection against the circumstances they are experiencing in Venezuela.
“Panama decided to make the decision in solidarity with the Venezuelan people and also asks the government of Nicolás Maduro to negotiate a political solution within the framework of the current constitution in Venezuela.
The Vice-President and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Isabel De Saint Malo said through Ministry social networks that “they granted asylum to the magistrates in solidarity with the Venezuelan people, and is now urging the support of the international community”.
Panama is one of ten countries, among which are the United States, Spain, Argentina and Colombia, who announced that they will not recognize the result of the vote for a Constituent Assembly.
This week De Saint Malo said that the government is evaluating the withdrawal of its ambassador in Caracas in the coming days.
The Panamanian government also recently announced that it will collaborate with Washington in its actions against Venezuelan officials, an initiative which was criticized by some political sectors.
After the recent meeting of President Varela with US president Donald Trump, Panama’s government has hardened its approach to Venezuela, which previously had been one of the closest in the region.
