Panama's Foreign Minister Addresses Irregularities in Intercepted Tanker Cases

Panama's Foreign Minister, Javier Martinez-Acha, confirmed that a Panama-flagged oil tanker intercepted by the U.S. in the Caribbean, along with another unflagged vessel, did not comply with national and international maritime laws. During a press conference, he highlighted that the vessels had disconnected tracking instruments and altered their names, raising serious concerns about their operations. The U.S. Coast Guard seized the tanker 'Centuries' for carrying sanctioned oil from Venezuela, although it was initially misidentified as Panama-flagged. Meanwhile, another tanker, 'Bella 1', is under pursuit by U.S. forces and is linked to Iran. Panama is closely monitoring the situation amid rising tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

Key Details: • The tanker 'Centuries' was seized on Saturday for carrying sanctioned oil. • Panama's Foreign Minister stated that the vessels disconnected tracking devices and changed names. • The 'Bella 1' tanker is currently being pursued by U.S. forces and is sanctioned. • Panama is investigating the misuse of its flag on these vessels.