He President of Panama, José Raúl Mulinoruled out this Thursday that your government has some relationship with the Panamanian businessman Ramón Carretero Napolitano, sanctioned by the United States for its links with the government of Nicolás Maduro.
“My government has no relationship, directly or indirectly with the lord Neapolitan Carter; there is not a single contract related to itneither plays an important role in Panama in terms of economic activity“Mulino responded during your weekly press conference.
The inclusion of Carretero Napolitano in the ‘Clinton List’prepared by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) of the United States Department of the Treasury“It is a decision of the United States due to events that occurred in Venezuela”Mulino commented.
“He will have to answer to the United States authorities (…) but it is a problem completely unrelated to the government of Panama”he added.
The United States imposed financial sanctions on December 11 to Carretero Napolitano with the argument that “has participated in lucrative contracts with the Maduro regime”.
The Panamanian newspaper The Press published that, according to The New York TimesCarretero Napolitano and his company Shineful Energy were involved in Venezuelan crude oil sales operations for about 500 million dollars in the last five months.
The Panamanian businessman would have been the “main beneficiary” of the agreement that allows the American Chevron export oil from Venezuela.
Shineful Energy would have sold “all the crude oil” since the Trump administration allowed Chevron to resume exports from Venezuela in last july.
He United States Department of State He pointed out that those sanctioned, including three nephews of Maduro, They support “the corrupt and illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela”.
