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Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela, and Deteriorating Diplomatic, Commercial, and Immigration Relationships Between Panama and Venezuela


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History suggests that interfering in the internal affairs of another nation (for instance, recognizing a pretender in conflict with the current ruler) leads to war. That is the reason European nations signed the Treaty of Westphalia, agreeing to leave one another alone unless under external attack. But that was a long time ago - people forget. I am of the opinion that the seduction of globalism will lead to many regrets. Among other things, watch for the revival of "Yankee Go Home" sentiment in a number of quarters.

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I don’t think lack of customer service is an issue.  From my understanding it has always been bad but the influx of expats exacerbated the perception because most of us come from places with much better customer service.  I think Panama is trying to catch up, but it is not easy to retrain.  As for rising costs, that is a many pronged issue.  Do expats drive up costs?  I think they do, especially in the areas of housing and vehicles.  Food and clothing?  Again, quite likely - we demand a North American diet then complain when the costs go up.  Look around in Super 99, Rey’s or Baru - do you see the indigenous shopping there?  If not, where do they shop?  That’s where you will find the cheaper foodstuffs.  I am still of the opinion one can live cheaply here, but the average expat is too wedded to first world luxeries to even try.

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17 minutes ago, JohnF13 said:

I don’t think lack of customer service is an issue.  From my understanding it has always been bad but the influx of expats exacerbated the perception because most of us come from places with much better customer service.  I think Panama is trying to catch up, but it is not easy to retrain.  As for rising costs, that is a many pronged issue.  Do expats drive up costs?  I think they do, especially in the areas of housing and vehicles.  Food and clothing?  Again, quite likely - we demand a North American diet then complain when the costs go up.  Look around in Super 99, Rey’s or Baru - do you see the indigenous shopping there?  If not, where do they shop?  That’s where you will find the cheaper foodstuffs.  I am still of the opinion one can live cheaply here, but the average expat is too wedded to first world luxeries to even try.

Where do the indigenous shop for groceries and produce? I see them sometimes but only in small numbers in Romero and maybe Super Xtra. Never yet in El Rey (but then I don't go there often myself).

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53 minutes ago, Marcelyn said:

Wondering if lack of customer service and rising costs are indications of a “Yankee Go Home” message intended for gringos?

 

As for food, the rising costs are world wide.  A friend who just returned to the states paid $39 per pound for scallops.  He also added that most meat and seafood products have skyrocketed in price in recent years and believes there's a conspiracy to eliminate meat products by the far left vegans.  I'm wondering if he's wearing an aluminum foil hat.

 

Another friend back in the states who is a chef stated that some seafood products have increased in price five fold in the last five years.  He says there's substituting corvina for mahi and grouper.

 

We should feel fortunate to only have to pay $5 per pound on average for seafood here.

 

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4 hours ago, JohnF13 said:

I don’t think lack of customer service is an issue.  From my understanding it has always been bad but the influx of expats exacerbated the perception because most of us come from places with much better customer service.  I think Panama is trying to catch up, but it is not easy to retrain.  As for rising costs, that is a many pronged issue.  Do expats drive up costs?  I think they do, especially in the areas of housing and vehicles.  Food and clothing?  Again, quite likely - we demand a North American diet then complain when the costs go up.  Look around in Super 99, Rey’s or Baru - do you see the indigenous shopping there?  If not, where do they shop?  That’s where you will find the cheaper foodstuffs.  I am still of the opinion one can live cheaply here, but the average expat is too wedded to first world luxeries to even try.

I don’t disagree that gringos likely have helped push prices up in Boquete. But how can you say that customer service is not an issue because it’s always been bad??? Does that render it a non-issue? Does that somehow justify its getting no better? And how is it possible to believe that Panama is trying to catch up when the banks (and, I would venture to say, most businesses) have not improved one whit in the past 12 years I’ve been here?

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Panama will participate in a humanitarian conference at the OAS on Venezuela

Thu, 02/14/2019 - 10:37

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The Ministers of Public Safety and Health of Panama, Jonattan Del Rosario and Miguel Mayo, traveled to Washington this Wednesday to participate in a humanitarian conference for Venezuela, which will take place at the headquarters of the Organization of American States (OAS).

This conference was convened on February 4 by the self-proclaimed interim president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, to analyze the crisis in which the South American country is going through.

During the meeting will address migration and humanitarian issues of interest to the region.

The forum will be in charge of the new Ambassador of Venezuela to the United States, Carlos Vecchio, appointed by Guaidó since January 27, 2019.

"The Venezuelan interim government will seek help from the governments, the Venezuelan diaspora community, NGOs and the private sector to help address these urgent and immediate needs", Vecchio's press team said in a statement on February 4.

Representatives of governments, the private sector and civil society have been invited to the meeting.

Carlos Vecchio and OAS General Secretary Luis Almagro will inaugurate the meeting, said the statement, and explained that "this will focus on the provisional evaluation of the Venezuelan Government of urgent humanitarian requirements to respond to the generalized hunger and medical needs inside Venezuela".

Venezuela is mired in a deep economic and social crisis, aggravated by uncontrolled inflation and an acute shortage of food and medicine that have forced hundreds of Venezuelans to leave their country in search of better living conditions.

On February 3, a spokesman for the National Security Council of the White House confirmed to Efe that the US Government has begun sending humanitarian aid packages to Venezuela.

A day earlier, John Bolton, US President Donald Trump's national security adviser, announced on Twitter that the US intended to start sending aid to Venezuela after Guaidó requested it.

President Nicolás Maduro has refused to receive international aid and has even called to reject the "bad and cheap show" of the opposition during his participation in a public event.

 

https://www.panamatoday.com/panama/panama-will-participate-humanitarian-conference-oas-venezuela-9248

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  • Moderator_02 changed the title to Humanitarian Crisis in Venezuela, and Deteriorating Diplomatic, Commercial, and Immigration Relationships Between Panama and Venezuela
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Venezuela opens file on Copa

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Posted 14/03/2019
 
Venezuela's National Institute of Civil Aeronautics has opened a file on Copa Airlines for alleged violations when transporting the self-appointed president Juan on his return from a tour of South American  countries.

Copa ’s chief executive Pedro Heilbron said they have not yet been able to see the documentation on the alleged violations. Last week, Heilbron told CNN en Español that the airline did not know that Guaidó would travel with them to Venezuela reports La Prensa.

The company considers it pertinent not to issue comments at this time until the process ends.

In a TV program on Wednesday, March 13, Chavista leader Diosdado Cabello condemned the airline for transporting Guaidó who toured five countries in South America and returned to Venezuela through a flight he took in Panama City on March 4.

" I really would not let them land ever again in Venezuela," Cabello said during the broadcast of his weekly program.

According to Cabello, the airline committed a hostile act against Venezuela by transporting Guaidó from Panama City. "But hey, there are administrative procedures, little by little," he said.

Heilbron told CNN in Spanish that Copa staff did not expect the presence of this "special passenger", in a clear allusion to Guaidó.

The Maduro regime had threatened to arrest Guaidó if he entered the country through Simón Bolívar International Airport. However, he entered without problems mishap with his wife and work team.

 

https://newsroompanama.com/news/venezuela-opens-file-on-copa

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Panama joins crisis meeting on Venezuela

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Posted 03/05/2019

Panama’s Vice President and Foreign  Minister, Isabel De Saint Malo de Alvarado is attending an emergency meeting of foreign Ministers  of the Lima Group  which began on Friday, May 3, in the city of Lima.

The meeting was called after the failed military uprising of a group of  Venezuelan soldiers in support of the president in charge, Juan Guaidó, whom the diplomatic bloc  recognizes as interim agent.

 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/panama-joins-crisis-meeting-on-venezuela

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Panama says no to use of armed  force in Venezuela

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Posted 12/09/2019

The Government of Panama said that it abstained in the vote on Wednesday at the OAS to convene the Consultative Body of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR), since it "contemplates the possibility of the use of the armed force in Venezuela  reports TVN.

"Panama, consistent with its tradition and its history, considers that a military intervention is not the most appropriate way to solve an internal political crisis, which is why it abstained from voting," the Panamanian Foreign Ministry said in an official statement.

Twelve countries of the American continent took on  Wednesday,  a first step in activating the TIAR in a session in the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), considering that the "crisis" in Venezuela represents "a clear threat to peace and security "in the region.

The twelve nations that supported the TIAR (a kind of American NATO that opens the door to military intervention) are: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, USA, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Paraguay, Dominican Republic and Venezuela, the latter represented by the delegates of the Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó.

The  twelve countries decided was to convene a meeting of the foreign ministers of the signatory nations of the TIAR so that, in the second half of  September, at the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York, they decide what measures to be taken regarding Venezuela.

The Government of Panama said in its official letter that "it will participate in the ministerial meeting of this Organ of Consultation that will be convened, and will advocate the urgent and urgent need to find a solution to this serious crisis and end the suffering of millions of Venezuelans ".

"Panama will continue to support regional and multilateral efforts to achieve an immediate, democratic and peaceful solution to the economic, social, political and humanitarian crisis that Venezuela is going through and the Venezuelan people are suffering," said th
 

https://www.newsroompanama.com/world/panama-says-no-to-use-of-armed-force-in-venezuela

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This resolution did not call for military intervention in Venezuela.  I think it is a bit pathetic to complain about the Maduro regime while abstaining on a vote of solidarity in the OAS declaring the Venezuela crisis as a threat to regional security.  Nobody is talking about invading Venezuela, which would be an extremely difficult task given the topography.  At least Panama didn't vote NO, despite the misleading headline.

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