Varela gives nod to Maduro meeting

Panama President Juan Carlos Varela is ready to talk with Nicolás Maduro his   Venezuela n counterpart, to solve the diplomatic and tensions between the two countries.

“In public life, talking is always an option,” said Varela, on Friday, April 20, after Maduro made known on Thursday that he wants to solve the impasse with Panama.

Varela emphasized that this is a “specific issue”, where what President Maduro has to do is “avoid further affecting the population of Panama, Venezuela and the region”.

He added that there are more than one million Venezuelans living in countries close to Venezuela that use Panama’s connectivity to see their families at events such as baptisms, birthdays, Christmas, marriages, or to bring them help. “For that reason, you cannot you can make decisions that hurt the citizens of your country, “said  Varela, who called for reflection.

In a social network message, Maduro said: “I want to solve the problems that have arisen with the president of Panama, from here I send a greeting.

President of Panama,  You were my friend, we are going to resolve this between you and me. “

The Venezuelan leader revealed that a secret meeting was held in the Dominican Republic with the mediation of that country’s President Danilo Medina, at Venezuela’s request.

Tensions between Panama and Venezuela emerged after the  Varela government published in March publish a “high risk” money laundering list in which Maduro and other Venezuelan officials appeared.

In retaliation, Venezuela suspended economic relations for three months with a hundred Panamanian companies, including Copa Airlines.

Tit-for-tat retaliation followed and the ambassadors of both countries were withdrawn.