Venezuela on Thursday risked worsening its travel isolation by declaring a suspension of commercial ties with Panama"™s main airline Copa after Panama put President Nicolas Maduro and his top officials on a list of possible money launderers.
The state-run Venezuela News Agency (AVN) said Caracas had "suspended for 90 days economic and financial relations with 22 individuals and 46 national entities from Panama to protect Venezuela"™s financial system." It said Copa was on the list.
It was not immediately clear if that meant Copa planes would have to stop flying into and out of Venezuela.
Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela told reporters in his country that his government had received no notification of Venezuelan sanctions.
He called the reported move "gibberish," but warned that "Panama will respond vigorously" if it was confirmed.
Only a handful of foreign airlines are left servicing Venezuela, which is on the brink of default.
Panama is the nearest airline hub to Venezuela, and Copa is the main airline used by passengers in and out of Caracas. Departures from the Venezuelan capital are often booked up weeks or months in advance.
A succession of international airlines have ended their flights to Venezuela, including Delta, United, Aerolineas Argentinas and Avianca.
The few left include Air France, Spain"™s Iberia, American Airlines and Swiftair from the US, Cubana and Turkish Airlines…
